The Margrave of Ivanhoe and the Philosopher's Ston
by Earl of Rosshire
Summary: Lily Potter would do anything to save the life of her son, even calling upon an ancestor who had fallen out of favor with the Ministry of Magic. Ten years later, Harry and Neville must guard an artifact stolen from their adoptive father from Voldemort
1. Unwelcome Interference

A/N. This is a non-commercial work. All Harry Potter characters property of J. K. Rowling, et al. All Legend of Zelda Characters property of Nintendo Games, et al. Second Prophecy from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by J. K. Rowling. Some Characters and Ideas come from other Fan-Fiction. This disclaimer will be improved upon as time goes by.

24 September 2005. Added Introitus and extra content.

**Introitus**

So many years have passed since then. And yet, even now, the sorrows linger still. I think back solemnly upon those times with pride, gratitude, and… regret. Why did so many have to die? Why couldn't I save them from dying before their natural span of years? Why did they have to die, _for me,_ when all I ever wanted of them was for them to kiss my brow or cheek, dry the tears from my eyes, to _live, to allow me to love them as they did me without fear of losing them, or guilt of thinking that I had caused their deaths._

I was never that important, no matter what the others said. I was never supposed to be the Hero of Time, no matter what you've been told over the years. I was never supposed to be the… I delude myself. I did what needed to be done for the good of my subjects; their happiness has not only been a duty, but a love of my heart deeper than Lake Hylia, higher than Death Mountain, broader than the Great Hylean Plain, stronger than the loyalty of a Sheikah, more boldly fruitful than the Kokiri Forest, and more sublimely vital than the Gerudo Desert.

Many who know my history would say that I complain wrongly of my circumstances. And, they would in the end be right. There are so many other ways things could have begun, and so many more they could have turned out. Yet, it _is_ my life we discuss, so I should in the end have some say on how delightful or sorrowful the times were.

So many people have helped me through those years. But so many _died._ Hadn't it occurred to even _one of them_ that they could have helped me far more by _living,_ by not _abandoning me to my fate?_ I grant you I'm being selfish and immature by feeling thus. And rest assured I don't spurn or insult their sacrifice; I _can't_ spurn the same sacrifice I would have freely made were it my fate to do so. That aside, I still say I have the right to both mourn and resent their loss. And, though I know I will see them again after the End of All Days, their loss tears through my soul, and will so long as time itself still lives.

There are many places I could start this tale. But I choose to start it in the one thousand nine hundred and eighty-first year of our Lord and Saviour, the fifteen hundred and thirty first year of the Son of Honour, on the evening prior to Samhain of that year. On that day, like any other Samhain eve, my countrymen were preparing for the holiday on the morrow, where they would go to Mass to give thanks for the harvest and remember their ancestors. After Samhain High-Mass, and the obligatory visit to the graves, they would retire to their homes to have large family dinners. For Samhain has always been to us a combination of the American Thanksgiving and Memorial Day even before we gained Christ's Final Pardon and joined the community of Christian Nations.

The Armed Forces and Knightly orders would have their Pomp and Circumstance as well. For Samhain was one of the days they laid wreaths at the Cenotaph, where the war dead of our Realm are memorialized. After mournful ceremony and invoking solemn prayers of thanks, they would depart for their family dinners, leaving the guard of Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Templars and Guardians who stand eternal watch over the stone symbol of their brothers' eternal sacrifice.

But in Hyrule Castle, the seat of power of my beloved Realm, the Son of Honour was _not_ preparing for Samhain. He and his Lord Keeper were engaged in their share of the Second Walpurgian War.

**Chapter 1, Unwelcome Interference**

The young looking man sat at his desk brooding over the letter before him. The man appeared to be no more than nineteen years of age, and if one were to observe him sleeping he would appear younger yet. When standing, he stood an even six feet tall, was broad at the chest and shoulders, and narrow at the waist, appearing to weigh about two hundred pounds. His face was handsome, and his blue eyes sparkled with an almost magical intensity. He had medium length reddish-blond hair, of a shade known in his land as "Arlisson-Blond."

This was not the most unusual part of his appearance, however. He was dressed in clothing that appeared to come straight out of the English legends of Robin Hood. He wore a green short-sleeve tunic with an open collar, shorts with cuffs that fell just below the edge of the tunic, and knee-high tan suede boots. He also wore his "woodsman's cap" indoors; its fabric matched the tunic and shorts, and it had a strange brown feather centred on the front. His most unusual feature though was his fairy, who floated overhead, brooding like her host.

The fairy was the size of a small hawk, glowed with varying shades of yellow light, had dragonfly wings on her back between her shoulder blades, and had talons for feet. Otherwise, she presented the appearance of a beautiful woman with waist-length hair and wearing gossamer robes. The man, whose given name was Link had a fairy, because he was in fact a Kokiri. The Kokiri were an Elvin people unique to Hyrule. However, he wasn't even an ordinary Kokiri. For most Kokiri never got any taller than four feet, he was six feet tall. All Kokiri except for him had pointed ears, his were round, like those of any ordinary human. And most Kokiri's fairies, while always more than appendages, did not have complete personalities. Navi, Link's fairy not only had a complete personality; she was in fact several hundred years older than Link himself. She and her host silently read the letter again.

The Duke of Hyrule

Hyrule Castle

Castleton, Realm of Hyrule, U.K.

29 October, 1981.

Your Grace,

My name is Lily Potter. My husband's grandfather was

Harold Josiah Potter, whom you were acquainted with in

The Second World War. After Grindelwald's defeat, he,

Algernon Neville Longbottom, Malcolm Gentry, and Albus

Dumbledore asked you not to interfere in the affairs of

English Wizards again. But I must beg you to reconsider.

My father was Henry Evans, and my mother was Rose

Gentry. They were both your descendants. In fact, when I

traced my family tree, I had to go back seven generations

to find an ancestor who did not descend from you. As your

daughter, I beg you to protect the life of my son.

As you may or not be aware, there is a Dark Lord

calling himself "Lord Voldemort" who is terrorizing

Wizarding England. He has decided he must kill my husband,

my son, and me. My husband, James Potter, and I have

fought against Voldemort for several years. But,

because of a prophecy made about Harry, my son, he has

taken a greater interest in us, especially Harry.

We have already gone into hiding under the Fidelis

Charm, but I fear even that won't be enough. I don't

fear death for my husband or myself. Though we are both

quite young, we've at least lived a few years, But, I'm

terrified for Harry.

Please, Your Grace, protect Harry from harm. He is

only a child, and deserves to grow up in happiness and

safety. He means more to me than anything else, I would

die for him if it took that to protect him! Please swear

to me that you will protect him. I respectfully await

your answer.

Respectfully,

Lily Potter.

The young looking Duke of Hyrule remembered 1945 all too well. For, he in fact was born in the year 439 A.D, and was the same Duke of Hyrule who had the arguments with the Minister of Magic in 1945. Grindelwald was the last Dark Wizard. He was also Hitler's chief ally in Britain, and had personally thwarted several Hyrulian rescue missions saving European Jews from Hitler's death camps, causing the deaths of numerous Hyrulian soldiers and spies.

The Hyrulian Parliament demanded that he be tried as a war criminal and hanged. The English Ministry of Magic, on Albus Dumbledore's advice, had endeavoured to imprison him for life in Azkaban Fortress, the English Wizarding prison.

Dumbledore was the one who ended up defeating Grindelwald in March of 1945. Link submitted an extradition warrant to the Ministry of Magic. The MOM pointed ignored the warrant. Grindelwald was tried by the English and was being transported to Azkaban Fortress when a squadron of Barbarosa Dragoons, the Gerudo heavy cavalry of Hyrule, seized him and conveyed the Dark Lord to Hyrule, where he was tried, convicted of war crimes, and hanged.

The English Ministry of Magic were furious that Link would order such a violation of Wizarding English sovereignty. The Hyrulian Parliament were more furious yet that they had to order their Duke to seize wanted fugitives rather than having long established extradition treaties honoured; Hyrulians seldom signed treaties, but those they signed they honoured and expected to be honoured in return.

Thus, the English Ministry of Magic, who governed all wizards in England, Scotland, Wales, and all of Ireland, but _not_ Hyrule, and the government of Hyrule, which was also subject to the King of England, but never to the English Parliament, nor the English Ministry of Magic, broke off diplomatic relations, and had not communicated directly with one another for the next thirty-six years.

The fairy looked down at her young host and addressed him by name. "Link, do you mean to protect this woman's child?"

Link looked up at his fairy and answered. "What else would you have me do, Navi? Despite the fact that his ancestors had me lose face with Parliament, he himself is a defenceless child. I must at least answer his mother in person. I can't interfere directly, but I should be able to strengthen their charm somewhat."

At this moment, there was a knock on the door to Link's office. He bid the person to enter. The man was clean shaven, bald, and quite old looking, though still in robust health. He was the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of the Realm of Hyrule, Link's closest advisor. The Lord Keeper, William Rotherwood, Earl of Ivanhoe, got to the point directly.

"Your Grace, I've just received a prophecy from the Seer of Kakariko. The prophecy states: 'The Phoenix and the Lion are threatened in these times. The Phoenix shall smite the Snake of Evil, but the Snake shall smite the Phoenix Mother, and The Snake's minions shall smite the Lion's Pride. The Hawk of the Forest must fly to their aid this very night else all is lost and the Realm will enter a period of unspeakable Darkness, yea even Dragmire will be better than abandonment of the innocents.'"

Link asked, "William, have you gotten the English prophecy?"

"Yes, Your Grace. Sparrow's report came in at the same time as the Owl from Kakariko. That one reads: 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark im as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…' How does this affect _us,_ Your Grace?"

Link considered what he heard for a moment, and answered with a question of his own. "Have you traced where the Potters' owl came from?"

William answered, "Yes, your grace. It came from the Potters' cottage in Godric's Hollow, in the eastern Lammermuir Hills. The cottage is under a strong Fidelis Charm, and should be safe indefinitely."

Link answered, "It should be… but indeed it's _not._ Remember the odd prophecy from last week? 'A rat has breached the castle wall. Albion dear is set to fall.' _This_ is its meaning! Their Secret Keeper has betrayed them to Riddle. Lily Potter must _know, _or at least suspect that the charm has been broken. But why don't they _flee_,William? Or perhaps she seeks asylum? And why does the Seer of Kakariko prophesy more about England in thirty days than the previous thirty decades?

"William, Navi and I are taking a trip to Scotland. I can't say how long we'll be gone. If fortune is with us we will return with guests shortly. But be prepared to answer my summons at once should I call. And say nothing of this until I tell you otherwise, but have Parliament ready to meet in special session on eight hours notice!"

The Lord Keeper answered his assent, and Link and Navi vanished.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The ancient Hyrulian ruler appeared in Godric's Hollow just as Lord Voldemort cast the killing curse on James Potter. With the curse striking its mark, the cottage sprang into appearance. Link could feel other strange magic at work, and for some reason he was transfixed to the spot where he stood. He listened as Lily Potter pleaded in vain for her son's life, and he felt as Lily cast the Charm of a Mother's True Love.

Link's heart broke as he heard this charm cast for only the second time in his entire long life. The other time he heard it cast was in the year 439, when his own mother cast it to protect him from Ganondorf's fighters. His head spun dizzily as he heard Voldemort cast the curse first to kill Lily Potter, and then to kill the young Harry. But, Link felt the second curse rebound upon its caster! He sensed the destruction of Voldemort's body, but not the death of the evil wizard. As Link felt the spirit of Voldemort flee the area, retaining just enough of the ash of its body so as not to be truly dead, he fell to the ground as if he himself were under assault. He fought against the unexplainable dizziness; after a few minutes, he was able to regain his feet and control.

No sooner had Link done this than the cottage collapsed as if it had been dynamited! He could hear the child crying, but this was the cry of anguish, not of injury. Young Harry was safe for the moment. Link heard the approach of a motorcycle from the sky to the south. He looked up and saw the headlamp of a motorcycle; Link caused himself to vanish completely and observe the stranger's approach.

The bike came out of the sunrise and landed before the demolished cottage. Two men, a young wizard man, and a half-giant in his mid forties got off. The two men rapidly waded into the wreckage, and extracted the child from the debris. They carried little Harry back to the motorcycle, and quietly talked.

"Hagrid, I have some things to take care of. You take Harry to Professor Dumbledore. Go ahead and use my bike, Surrey is a long way from here."

The half-giant asked, "Wouldn't you rather take Harry? And why Surrey?"

The wizard answered, "Professor Dumbledore said that if anything happened that Harry had to stay with blood relatives. Seeing what we've seen, I have to guess that the old man knew something like this would happen. In the mean time, I have to talk to Peter. We have to go, Hagrid, the Muggles are coming! Take Harry and go!" The wizard handed the bundled up toddler to the half-giant and apparated away. Hagrid got back on to the motorcycle, started the engine, and flew up into the sky, vanishing as he went. Link read Hagrid's mind using a Kokirish variant of Legillimancy to find the half-giant's destination, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Link and Navi silently teleported away to the south of England.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Link spent his Samhain observing the house at 4 Privet Drive, its occupants, and the Animagus cat that also watched. The residents of the suburban house impressed Link not at all. The house was inhabited by a married couple and their sixteen month old son. The man, who was in his late twenties, and the woman, who was in her late thirties, were both surly and shallow people, save to their own son, who at the tender age of sixteen months was spoiled thoroughly rotten. The animagus was just as impressed as Link was, judging by its attitude of disdain.

Link watched all day, and into the night. At eleven in the evening, Albus Dumbledore finally showed up, and temporarily disabled the street-lamps. Link approached, still invisible, with Navi still in his mind, that he could better hear Dumbledore's conversation with the animagus.

The only news he received from the conversation was that the news of what he'd already seen had spread throughout Wizarding England, and they were celebrating like they hadn't since 1945! Young Harry was already being celebrated as "The Boy Who Lived." Link thought silently to himself, already figuring out why Harry was to live here. He had sent messenger spells out discretely during the day, and their answered several questions. The woman of the house, Petunia Dursley, was Lilly Potter's older sister. The charm that had saved Harry's life at dawn that morning was an ancient form of blood magic, one that could be supported for many years to keep Harry from harm, provided he lived with a blood relative, the closer the blood relationship, the better.

Better still, by growing up isolated from the fame that was already headed his way, he would have a normal childhood, and not grow up vain or spoiled because of his fame and magical power. The toddler was indeed quite powerful magically; the spell Lilly Potter used would have failed with any normal wizarding toddler. But such ideas can be harmful in the minds of children, causing them to grow up spoiled, wilful, and unable to care for any save themselves. Being raised by Petunia Dursley, a "muggle," would at first seem the ideal solution.

But Link had also checked up on the Dursleys. The were indeed as unfit parents as they appeared. Worse, they were not only Muggles, but Muggles who hated magic and considered wizards to be subhuman. Link listened in shock and horror toPetunia and Vernon Dursley's conversation around their dinner table. They hated their nephew sight-unseen! Young Harry would be abused and neglected, and might not survive long enough to enter Hogwarts, England's school for wizards, much less to adulthood. Even surviving such a childhood, Harry would be so bitter, twisted, and broken that he would never prevail against Voldemort a second time. Link would not accept this, and determined to find Harry a more suitable home. Voldemort was not dead, and would probably find some Dark Magic to reverse his current circumstance and return to power. Harry had to be ready when that time came.

Link had already decided on a plan of action, even as Dumbledore, the animagus, whose name was Minerva McGonagall, and Hagrid departed, leaving Harry asleep on the porch of his aunt's house. James and Lilly had two friends, Frank and Alice Longbottom, who had a child the same age to the day as Harry. Like Harry's father James, Frank and Alice were Aurors, England's wizarding police, and had fought against Voldemort. With suitable coaching on Link's part, they would gladly and _quietly_ take Harry in, and raise him as their own, keeping him safe from his own fame, and safe from harm. But to do that, he had to let the Dursleys react to their nephew, and gain custody of the boy from them.

William Rotherwood drove up in one of Link's Stutz-Blackhawk limousines, bringing the last of what Link needed to put his plan into place. Link walked up to the car, greeted the chauffer, and his Lord Keeper. He silently walked up to the porch, kissed the infant good night, and got into the back of the car to nap until morning.

But when sleep came to the ancient Kokiri it was less than truly restful. For once he entered his dreams, he was instantly joined by a small frail child, who cried every bit as painfully as the child on the porch of the Dursley's house did not.

Link knew that the children were one and the same, and this truly concerned him. For of his own children, only the eldest two, Darunia and Darmani ever joined him in his dreams. This troubled Link because he hadn't planned on adopting Harry. It was his design to either convince Vernon and Petunia Dursley to raise Harry kindly and properly, or remove Harry from their custody forever and place him with Frank and Alice Longbottom.

But that was not Harry's plan. The child beseeched Link, "Please, Old One! Don't leave me alone! Mommy and Daddy are dead. Send me to join them if you don't want me, just don't leave me alone!"

Link hadn't planned on adopting Harry. But he wouldn't harm so much as a hair on the head of the child, and he was there to prevent the child from growing up alone. He answered, "Harry, you will not be left alone and sad, especially not by me. I love you as if you were one of my children. But there are others who love you as much as me, and who have greater claim on seeing to your happiness.

"But I, like you, had my Mama and Papa die when I was very young. I will comfort you this night. Navi and I will sing to you of my childhood, and the love our Mamas and our Papas had for us and have still. For they, though they no longer live as we do, live still in Heaven, and will always live in our hearts."

"Is Navi the girl on the edge of here, Old One?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Childing, I am" the fairy answered. "I was with Link almost from the beginning, and am here with him still."

Link and Navi sang lullabies from Link's childhood to the Boy Who Lived until the child smiled and was fully asleep, and on into the first light of day.


	2. Two Princes

**Chapter 2, Two Princes**

Link awoke with the sunrise on All Saints Day, 1981. He wandlessly cast a quick cleaning charm on himself, transfigured his clothing into a morning suit with a grey Homburg hat, and stepped out of the back of the Rolls. The Lord Keeper joined him, magically hiding a video camera beneath his arm. The Hyrulians, unlike wizards elsewhere, used muggle technology freely, and enchanted it where needed. With over half of the fifty-four million Hyrulian subjects being some form of spell-caster or other, Wizarding Secrecy just wasn't possible.

The two men approached the steps to 4 Privet Drive just as Petunia Dursley found a nephew with the milk delivery and screamed. Her husband Vernon joined her and accosted the two men, rudely asking "What is this? Who are you to leave a baby on my doorstep?"

Link answered, "Good morning sir, my name is Link Arlisson. I did not leave your nephew on your porch, nor do I approve. I have some unpleasant tidings to give you, tidings I'm sure you don't wish to share with your neighbours. May I come in?"

Vernon asked, "Are you two freaks as well?"

"Probably bigger freaks than you will ever realize, sir. Should we continue this conversation inside?"

Vernon answered, "Hell no! I insist you leave here at once and take the baby freak with you!"

Link replied quickly, before Vernon could slam the door, "That's what I want to do, sir. But you are due recompense for your time, and to ensure that other 'freaks' as you call us bother you no further! If you would be so kind as to answer a few questions, and sign a receipt for the money, we will leave and not bother you again."

Vernon opened the door and asked greedily, "How much money?"

Link answered, "Two thousand pounds each for you and your lovely wife, but you must answer a few short questions honestly, and you must also each eat a cup of vegetable pottage, or stew. Quite tasty stuff, really, but the way the wizarding laws work, it's the only way we can keep the man who dumped the child on your doorstep from doing it again.

"It is my sad duty to tell you that James and Lilly Potter were murdered early yesterday morning. You, Petunia Dursley, are the last living relative. By wizarding law, you are being expected to raise your nephew as your own son without compensation from the government.

"However, there is a way out of this inconvenience, based on old wizarding law. If you sign a bill of sale, and accept payment, the boy will be put up for adoption and you will never need see him again, nor will any other wizards bother you again about him. The boy will be raised by people who want to raise him, and no one need ever know about your association with the wizarding world. Does this interest you, sir?"

Vernon answered, "Yes. What are the questions?"

William started to film as Link said, "Each of you must answer honestly. Do you love your nephew?"

Vernon and Petunia both answered, "No."

Link asked, "Will you raise him as your own son, seeing to his health, comfort, safety, and happiness as if he were indeed you own son?"

"No" the two answered again.

Link then said, "Finally, do the both of you sell the child known as Harry James Potter to me, Link Arlisson, unconditionally in exchange for payment of two thousand pounds for the each of you, including 40 pieces of silver and a cup of vegetable pottage each?"

The two Dursleys hesitated for a moment, then both answered, "Yes, we do."

Link took the briefcase he was carrying and set it on the sidewalk. He withdrew it and took out two bundles of fifty pound notes and two muggle change purses full of silver coins. He handed Vernon and Petunia in turn a bundle of fifty pound notes. He then opened each change purse, showed Vernon and Petunia, along with the video camera that each purse contained 40 silver five pound coins, and handed Vernon and Petunia one change purse each. He then conjured two cups of pottage, and handed them to Vernon and Petunia. He said, "There is nothing harmful in this pottage. In order to seal the deal you must eat it."

Vernon and Petunia quickly ate the pottage, noting that it was quite tasty. Petunia asked, "Do you have the recipe for this?"

Link nodded, and silently handed her a note with the recipe on it. Vernon then said, "Well, the deal is done. Is this real money?"

Link answered, "Of course, sir. I paid you in cash, and in real cash."

Vernon answered, "Good. Now, take the kid and go, before I have you arrested for trespassing!" They stepped back into the house and slammed the door. Little Harry, who had been watching the exchange too afraid to make a sound, started to cry at this.

Link picked the boy up and soothed him. Harry stopped crying, and started to fuss about, as he was hungry. Link carried the boy back to the car with William following, grabbing the empty briefcase as he went.

As the chauffer drove them away, Link asked, "You get that on film, William?"

The Lord Keeper answered, "Yes, Your Grace. I've also got a bottle of formula ready, and a nappy changing kit, as it smells like Harry needs it. Shall I change him?"

Link answered, "No, I've got it." Link quickly changed the soiled nappy, washed Harry's bottom, and put a fresh nappy on him. He then handed Harry a bottle of formula and helped the toddler feed. Link looked into the brilliant green eyes of the black haired toddler, and his heart melted. He thought to himself, "I truly wish I could keep you, childing. But it's better if you grow up with your father and mother's friends, if they will take you. But I promise you, Harry, that you will come to no harm, so long as it's in my power to protect you."

Harry smiled at that, as if he could read Link's mind. He quickly finished the bottle and said, "Pancake."

Link answered, "It's too early for pancakes, Harry. Try to sleep for a little while. If you do, I'll give you pancake then." Harry giggled, and closed his eyes. At first, his little face was scrunched as if in concentration, then the child was back to sleep. But Link, having raised many children, knew that wouldn't last for long.

He said quietly, "William, have you found the Longbottoms yet?"

The Lord Keeper answered, "Not yet, Your Grace. We're driving to your house in Greenwich for the day. We expect to find them in the next day or so, and it will take a day after that to make sure we arrive at a time when Dumbledore is not there, and to confirm that they won't give the child back to Dumbledore if they get him. After all, we don't want the Dursleys getting Harry back, do we?"

"Heaven forbid!" replied the Duke of Hyrule.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Within the day turned out to be over a week. Link was not happy about the delay at all, for he and the child had developed a parental bond, as only Kokiri could. Were it not for his desire to not cross Albus Dumbledore completely, he would have long since returned to Castleton with Harry and started the adoption proceedings. After all, he had a signed bill of sale for Harry, and he had videotape of Vernon and Petunia Dursley accepting 40 pieces of silver and a cup of vegetable pottage each in exchange for Harry. Said payment was known as the "traitor's payment," because Judas Iscariot sold Jesus of Nazareth to Caiphas for 40 pieces of silver, and Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a cup of vegetable pottage. Accepting this payment barred the Dursleys from ever trying to get custody of Harry, or accepting custody from anyone else.

Harry though wasn't waiting for the Longbottoms, or anyone else. He had picked his new parent, and that was Link! The first night, the nightmares came, and the only way Link could get Harry back to sleep was to have the toddler sleep across his chest, as Link's own children had last done centuries before. The second night, Harry threw a fit, and refused to sleep in his cot, or anywhere else save across Link's chest. The third night, Link was awakened at two in the morning by Harry vigorously suckling his right nipple! After a short lecture telling Harry that he didn't give milk like that, and in future to wake him some other way, Link gave Harry a bottle of formula. Harry quickly drained the bottle and returned to sleep. The fourth night, Harry prodded Link's cheek, and said, "Bottow, pwease!" to his new dad. In fact, Harry called Link "Dada" and refused to call him anything else.

Link in turn couldn't help but want to keep Harry. Though the boy could be wilful at times, he was never really bad, and his green eyes seemed to pierce Link to his very soul, as the eyes of his first wife Saria had so many centuries ago. Link was desperate, nonetheless, to find the Longbottoms, and hand Harry off while he still could. If he didn't do it soon, he would never be able to, nor would Harry accept it either.

Today was the morning of the seventh of November 1981. The Longbottoms were no longer in hiding, and were in fact in their house in the north end of London. This was where Link and Harry would drive that very morning. Link's plan was simplicity itself. He and Harry would drive in the Rolls to the Longbottoms' house. If they were agreeable, Link would leave Harry with them, and secretly keep them under watch to ensure the boy wasn't returned to Dumbledore, and thusly to the Dursleys. If they kept their word to Link, he would support their efforts to raise Harry. If they tried to give Harry back to Dumbledore and the Dursleys, Link would kidnap him and spirit him off to Hyrule, and deal with the consequences.

Harry was quieter than he had been as Link gave him his morning bath. The boy asked, "Dada, Hawwy bad?"

Link answered, "No, Harry. Why do you ask?"

The boy answered, "Dada take Hawwy to new place, leave Hawwy."

Link swallowed hard; the boy was bright _and_ perceptive, nothing less than the truth would do. He answered the child, "When your first Dada and Mama went away, they wanted you to live with someone who loved you, who they already knew. You like Nevo, right?"

Harry thought, and answered, "Hawwy like Nevo. But you Dada now, not Nevo! Nevo baby wike me! Hawwy no go Nevo!"

Link answered the crying child, "Harry, Nevo has a Mama and Dada too! They love you just like Nevo! If you have Nevo's Mama and Dada for you, you'll get to play with Nevo all day, forever!"

Harry stopped crying, and thought. He answered solemnly, "Hawwy no wike. But if Nevo pway wif Hawwy aw day fowevew, Hawwy wet Dada weave wike fiwst Dada weave."

Link answered, "Deal, Harry. But only if they really love you. If not, we go home, and I'll be your dada forever."

Harry answered, "Deaw, Dada."

Harry was cooperative, but obviously sullen as Link dressed him, and fed him a breakfast of a pancake and fruit. Navi, who had not come out of Link's mind the whole time asked telepathically, "You aren't serious about keeping Harry, _are you?_"

Link answered in his mind, "You know I am, Navi! I can't bear to let him go _now._ But, if Frank and Alice Longbottom will take him, not give him up, protect him from the harm his fame could cause, and raise him in a loving home, I must let them. Lilly wanted me to protect him, not necessarily to raise him."

Link and Harry left Link's Greenwich estate at seven in the morning, Link dressed as an ordinary English wizard. The arrived at the Longbottom's house in north London at three in the afternoon to find out that all hell had broken loose!

Aurors were swarming the house! Reporters and photographers from the _Daily Prophet_ were standing on the sidewalk in front of the house. Link wandlessly cast an invisibility charm and a notice-me-not charm on himself and walked into the house to find out what had happened.

He didn't have to look far. Frank Longbottom's elderly mother was levitated out of the house under a sheet, obviously dead. Link walked into the house to find orderlies from St. Mungo's hospital bundling up Frank and Alice, whose minds were gone, perhaps for good. Link could smell the after-effects of the _Cruciatus_ curse plainly on their bodies. He overheard the Aurors speaking of the battle that had taken place not thirty minutes earlier, where three Death-Eaters, Voldemort's followers, were finally captured, after having their way with the Longbottoms for well over twenty-four hours! Link looked around frantically for any sign of Neville Longbottom, hoping against hope that the boy was somewhere else. But, he found out that Neville was _not_ somewhere else. The boy had rendered himself silent and invisible. Link at first couldn't even see the boy. But, Link felt the sorrow of the boy's heart, and smelled the soiled nappy, and quickly found the invisible child.

Link silently picked the boy up, and left the house. Whatever he had to do with Neville wasn't getting done there. He carried the child into the Rolls and cast a countercharm, making Neville visible again. As they drove away, he gave the boy his voice back, and Neville started to scream in anguish!

Link let him scream for the moment, not knowing what to do, nor how to comfort the boy. Finally, Harry shouted louder than Neville, and the boy was quiet. "Nevo, Hush!"

Neville stopped screaming and said, "Hawwy?"

Harry answered, "Hawwy."

Neville sobbed, "Nevo bad, Hawwy. Mama tew Nevo hide. Nevo get tirwed no hide. Bad bads make Gwama die, Mama and Dada hurt weaw bad! Mama and Dada wose Mama and Dada. Nevo wanna go away! Nevo wanna…"

Harry answered, "No! Nevo no go away! Nevo stay with Hawwy! Hawwy wose Mama and Dada! Hawwy no wose Nevo!"

Neville looked at Harry in amazement. He answered, "Nevo sowwy, Hawwy." The two boys hugged each other.

After a few moments, Harry said, "Are you still my dada, Dada? Hawwy be good, pwease?"

Link answered, "Harry, the people who were supposed to take you can't. I will never leave you. I will never make you leave me, no matter how bad you are. I love you forever, Harry."

The boy asked, "Will you be Nevo Dada too?"

Link asked, "Neville, may I be your Dada?"

Neville answered, "Nevo bad. Nevo too bad for Dada."

"No, Neville, you were not bad. The bad people were bad. You need a Dada. Harry needs a brother. May I be your Dada?"

Neville though a moment, and answered, "Will you be my Dada Fowevew too, wike Hawwy?"

Link answered, "Yes, Neville. You and Harry are my sons now, and I am your Dada. I love you both forever. I will never leave you. I will never make you leave me."

Link bent down onto the floor of the limousine, and hugged both boys, who hugged him back. He wandlessly opened the divider window and said to William, who was riding up front with the chauffer, "We drive to King's Cross. See to it that my train is waiting at Platform 10.5; we leave for home as soon as we get there. We now have two princes, Prince Harry and Prince Neville."

William was somewhat surprised, as he didn't see the invisible Neville when Link brought him into the car. But, it's second nature for a successful Lord Keeper to deal with surprises. He asked in return, "Your Grace, when should I have Parliament ready to hear your report."

Link answered, "I will speak to a secret joint session the day after tomorrow. The Chancellor and Prime Minister are to meet me at Castleton Station when we arrive."

Link spent the rest of the drive changing nappies, cleaning bottoms, and entertaining two emotionally traumatised but recovering toddlers as they tried to magically destroy the limousine they rode in. As he did so, he thought to himself, "I've bought the Phoenix, Harry Potter. I've rescued the Lion, Neville Longbottom, though his magic feels more like that of a Griffon. Now, I get to raise two magical children. God help me that I raise them right."

Navi came out of Link's mind for the first time in a week right after Harry and Neville dozed off. She said quietly, "You'll do fine, Link. The real challenge will be getting those dunderheads in Parliament to go along with you."

Link answered, "Perhaps. But that will take hours at most. I'll be obliged to let Harry and Neville go to Hogwarts whether they need to learn anything there or not. That's not quite ten years from now. Less than a decade to prepare the boys for what they'll face, can I possibly do it?"

"Of course you will, Link. They're your sons after all. And your sons have yet always done well for the Realm, for you, and for themselves."

Link could easily argue with Navi, for not all of his sons did nearly as well as she said. But, he was too tired to argue, and too happy to have children again. He picked up the tired boys and held them to his chest. The three of them napped until they reached King's Cross station.

---------------------------------------------------------------

At King's Cross, they were met by an entourage of plain-clothes Constables (the police and Aurors of Hyrule) and escorted to Platform 10.5. As they were leaving thirty minutes before the scheduled evening train to Castleton started boarding, there was a small gathering of Hyrulians near the shoe-shine stand that was the gate to the enchanted platform. No one said a word, though, as the party was escorted through the gate, onto the platform, and onto the Duke's private train.

The train set was originally of American origin. However, it had been modified over the years, both magically, and in the arenas of muggle technology, so that it was indeed state of the art, despite the fact that it was built just prior to America's entry into the Second Great War.

Navi, Link (who carried Harry and Neville), and William boarded the observation car, which was the last car of the consist, and was also the first car they came to as the train was backed into the platform.

William asked Link, "Your Grace, do you realize that we are committing two acts of kidnap?"

Link retorted, "William, do you realize that I don't care? Albus Dumbledore consigned Harry to a fate worse than death itself! I was obliged to rescue Neville from his own magic, because of what he saw happen to his birth-parents. They are now my sons, because no one else could raise them properly, if at all, after what they've suffered.

"You are my Lord Keeper, William, and that entails any number of duties. I will relax and take supper here in the observation car, with my sons. As they are already waking, and will be full of energy, I will play with and entertain them until they can be put down for the night. When that happens, they will probably both prefer to sleep as proper Kokiri children, thus I will be indisposed, though I can keep them from being disturbed if you have word to bring to me then.

"In the mean time, you will converse with the Chancellor and Prime Minister. The three of you will work out a way to 'paper' this crisis over. If an over-annulated schoolmaster can consign two children to death or worse, surely you can see to the appropriate drafting of a law to preserve said lives."

As the train pulled out of King's Cross, William sensed that his "audience" was over for now. He went forward three carriages to enter his train-board office to make the necessary phone calls.


	3. Deals and Discoveries

**Chapter 3, Deals and Discoveries**

"In the mean time, you will converse with the Chancellor and Prime Minister. The three of you will work out a way to 'paper' this crisis over. If an over-annulated schoolmaster can consign two children to death or worse, surely you can see to the appropriate drafting of a law to preserve said lives."

"Easier said than done, Your Grace" William thought to himself as he entered his train-board office. His office, unlike the Duke's observatory car, was magically enlarged, though still somewhat smaller than his main office at Hyrule Castle. He had no secretary on board, and as he was a fairly good typist and his telephone calls were routed through the Hyrule Castle Telephone Operators, he didn't need one. He sat behind his large mahogany desk, and picked up the telephone.

This telephone looked like it had come out of an 1920s English Hotel, complete with no rotary dial, as indeed it had. However, with magic, technology, and the Hyrule Castle Switchboard, dialling was not necessary. The operator answered, "Yes, my Lord-Keeper?"

William replied, "Good evening, Hosanna. I need a secure video conference call to the Chancellor and the Prime Minister. They may see me, and I may see them in return or not as they see fit."

"At once, my Lord-Keeper! I'll ring you back when I have them connected." The senior watch operator, Dame Hosanna Aveilla-Wainright rang off to complete the call. William hung up his receiver and reviewed his notes, jotting down extra details. Less than five minutes passed before the phone rang.

He answered, and Hosanna replied, "My Lord-Keeper, the Chancellor and Prime Minister of the Realm of Hyrule; both will be visible to you. You may go secure once I connect them and ring out." A device resembling a wide home movie screen materialized before William's desk. The Chancellor, an ancient Gerudo man with some faint traces of red left in his white beard and hair was to William's left. The Prime Minister, a young Kokiri man with green hair and red eyes was to William's right.

The Chancellor, Lord Alastor D'Aveil, Earl of the Gerudo, stood six feet and nine inches tall, weighing two hundred sixty pounds. In his ninety years, he had fought as a professional officer in the Hyrulian Army, until his elder brother died in the fight against the Walpurgis Knights, Grendenwald's followers. He assumed his brothers lofty title with grace and wit, and had claimed the Chancellor's chair some ten years previous, to the acclaim of the House of Lords. In that decade, he handled the governance of Hyrule's external affairs, including her relations with the rest of Britain skilfully.

The Prime Minister, Lothar Hunter was of average size and weight for his people, which is to say just under four feet tall. Like his other kinsmen, he had a guardian fairy, pointed ears, and hadn't used a wand for his magic since the age of six. He was a political achiever as well. He was barely thirty years old, and had just claimed the Prime Ministership the previous month in by-elections. He first won his seat, North-West Kokiri Forest, when he was only fourteen, the youngest MP in over one hundred fifty years. He rose quickly through the Conservative, or "Zelda' party, holding every major domestic Cabinet post in either a sitting or "shadow" government. As the House of Commons was in charge of taxation, the Army, and all domestic affairs, but NOT foreign affairs, he in fact held every government post not reserved for a Lord. He was instrumental in the last round of by-elections going in favour of his party, and in fact had just finished organizing his cabinet.

William addressed the two men, whom he had last talked to the previous evening, with Link's permission. "Gentlemen, all hell has broken loose."

Both Parliamentary leaders were stunned! The Chancellor answered first, "Surely the Longbottoms didn't try to give Harry Potter to Dumbledore, _did they?"_

William answered, "No, much worse yet. The Longbottoms were brutally attacked by Riddle's Death-Eaters just before his Grace and I arrived at their home. We barely managed to rescue Neville Longbottom, the toddler son of Frank and Alice Longbottom. The next nearest kin _that_ boy has is his great-uncle, who is an honourable enough man, but a bachelor at seventy, and not a good candidate to raise a child. What's more, if we give Neville back to his closer blood relatives, Harry's removal from the Dursleys will be made plain that much sooner, and you can imagine what trouble _that_ will cause."

The Prime Minister asked, "What does His Grace want us to do?"

William answered, "He told me to have the two of you 'paper this over.' Obviously, we are engaged in two acts of kidnap. In mitigation, our own security is threatened if these two children aren't raised in a proper home, and the one Englishman who would affect their upbringing has demonstrated unsound judgement as to the placement of Harry Potter. Furthermore, the Ministry of Magic are guaranteed to make even more drastic mistakes with Harry if they take him in Dumbledore's stead.

"His Grace will require a bill from Parliament declaring Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom to be adopted by him, and declared native-born Hyrulians. Any and all laws and treaties contradicting this law are to be nullified in this particular case."

Both Chancellor and Prime Minister were silent for over a minute. The Prime Minister spoke first. "Lord William, I can get such a bill through Commons, even tonight. However, there is one problem, and that is the succession. In order to get your bill passed, I'll need to have some assurance that both boys will be appointed Margraves upon their Kokiri Majority, eleven years of age. Will His Grace agree to this?"

In Hyrule, any child of the King of Hyrule, and later the Duke of Hyrule, was referred to as a Prince or Princess until they were considered adults. Then, unless they were given other noble titles, they became commoners, just as if any other silver-smith or weaver (Link was both a Grand-Master silversmith and a master Kokiri Weaver) had sired them. But a Duke before the treaty, or a Margrave after, was the officially acknowledged heir of the King or Duke of Hyrule. They were beholden only to the King or Duke, and each one had special responsibilities apart from their seat in the House of Lords, and their generous pensions from the King or Duke and the Realm. The "senior" Margrave or Duke, the one who would take the throne upon Link's demise, was the commander of all of Hyrule's armed forces. The second Margrave was in charge of the Admiralty under the senior Margrave, commanded the Constabulary in his own right, and was also responsible for appointing the Preceptor for the Knights-Guardian of the Realm of Hyrule. The only duke appointed by Link was his eldest son, Darunia, third Duke of Hyrule (Link was the second, his father Arliss was the first.) In that time the title was not hereditary. Under his third life-mate, Duchess Rebecca, all of their children were appointed Margraves, and Link made their titles hereditary. Thus, he was faced a few hundred years later with a self-appointed house of Parliament; a house he had to disband with the Lords, Commons, and the Sword of Ages, his feared magical two-handed great-sword. Link married one time after that, to Duchess Kikyo. Of their offspring, only one was appointed to any noble rank; he was the Earl of Iwakuni, a "dual-crowned" nobleman who was also responsible to the Emperor of Nippon. That title survived for only three generations, and was never recreated.

William answered, "I'm not sure. You know from history that he hasn't had the best of luck with officially appointed heirs."

The Chancellor replied, "The Council of Margraves was a major problem… in 1370! None of His Grace's sons were on that council, nor did they have the approval of Parliament to do what they tried. Were it not for Parliament's loyalty, His Grace would have been deposed, and our Sceptred Realm would have been enslaved! But we haven't had an heir to His Grace since. He may be nearly immortal, but even people such as His Grace can be called back to Our Father in Heaven, leaving us all behind. With the way the Treaty is written, we could yet become bondsmen to the _English!_ Britons were not made to be slaves! I will work with the Prime Minister on a Joint Bill, avoiding Parliamentary squabbles. And I am just as aware as you that Riddle still walks the earth in some form, and that Harry Potter must be the one to slay him. But we Hyrulian subjects must have our due! Please prevail upon His Grace to appoint the two children Margraves, and to raise them to perform their offices in justice and truth. Do this, and I can give you a law ready to sign the moment His Grace steps off of his train at Hyrule Castle. Withhold this, and I can not guarantee anything."

William answered, "His Grace would not want to impose such a burden upon such small children. He also conceders himself honour-bound to Albus Dumbledore to raise Harry in as 'plain' yet loving a home as he can provide, that the boy's heart is not turned to arrogance and meanness. But, I will present your request to him. I ask you in return to offer titles only as a last resort."

The Prime Minister asked, "Who is the eldest, and who is most closely related by blood to His Grace."

The Lord-Keeper answered, "In both cases, it's Harry. Harry was born at thirty seconds past midnight on the thirty-first of July 1980. Neville Longbottom was born two hours and thirty minutes later. Harry is related on both sides of his family, and to every Queen and Duchess, including Queen Saria. Neville descends from Queen Saria alone, and also descends from Arthur Pendragon. Harry would take the senior Margraveship, and Neville the junior, until Harry had an heir come of age to take the army, should Harry ever ascend to the throne."

At that moment, there was a knock on William's door. Knowing only one person who would dare interrupt him, he asked, "Yes, Your Grace?"

Link answered, "I've handed the boys off to Sergeant Stebbins for the moment. Do you have the Chancellor and Prime Minister on the phone?"

William answered, "Yes, Your Grace, and come in." Once Link entered, William said, "Your Grace, the Chancellor and Prime Minister say that they can have a bill by the time we arrive at Castleton. However, they also say that in order to do this, they will need you to appoint your new sons as Margraves upon their Kokiri Majority."

Link looked sadly at the two men. He said, after some moments of thought, "You would impose such a burden upon my sons, knowing that both of them are fated to battle Voldemort?"

The Chancellor answered, "Your Grace, we are obliged to overturn numerous British and _Hyrulian_ laws to grant the children you claim as your sons the peace and quietude they truly deserve. Most of our fellow Parliamentarians will not see the justice in this. The only cudgel we have to fight with on your behalf is the promise of two known heirs to make them rest easy that even if Dragmire should claim your life in some future day that the Realm shall remain free! Compared to the burden they already face, surely this isn't that much to ask?"

Link stood in silence for almost two minutes. He finally answered, "I will raise my sons to this burden. Have mercy on then if you can, but if their duty also calls them to be my heirs, they shall be ready.

"I had hoped you would have a better idea on how to keep them safe. But, I see you haven't. They will be _publicly_ appointed upon their eleventh birthdays, but they will be _officially_ appointed tonight. Harry is to be the Margrave of Ivanhoe, first in line to the succession. Neville is to be the Margrave of Gryffindor. Their appointment is to be kept secret until then, unless it needs to be revealed sooner. That way, they can grow up without the burden, but still be protected against legal harm by the Succession Act." Without another word, the Duke of Hyrule left the compartment, his bearing giving little hint of the anguish he felt at giving such a burden to his two youngest sons.

Alastor remarked, "He must really be anxious over this in order to give in so quickly."

William replied, "I've not seen him so worried about anything as long as I've known him. So, let's not prolong his worry; we need to have this bill written in the next half-hour if you wish to meet Parliament with it." The three men conferred for the next twenty minutes, drafting the complete bill with all of its provisions in record time.

* * *

Link returned to the Observation Car to find Sergeant Stebbins playing "horsey" with Harry and Neville. The sergeant was not much larger than the two boys himself, as he was a house-elf.

House-elves had been bred by wizards several millennia ago. They were bred to serve their masters; moreover, they were bred to be addicted to their labours, such that they would die if left for a prolonged period of time without work. House-elves were imported into Hyrule in the 570s, shortly before King Link outlawed both slavery and serfdom. Link refused to reconsider his law, yet could find no other way to keep the house-elves from dying. In desperation, he finally drafted all the remaining house-elves into the Hyrulian Army, and posted them wherever he could within the realm to do household chores.

This solution was rather difficult at first, especially with all the poorer Hyrulians who desperately needed to earn money and were competing for the same jobs as the house-elves were being given. But, in time, the adjustments were in fact made.

Which was just as well. Whereas in other countries the local house-elves were subservient to the point of insanity, refusing to even speak the local language with proper grammar; the Hyrulian house-elves, while quite respectful, were also quite direct, and spoke directly and in perfect English, Kiríál, Zoresse, Japanese, Gerudo, or Goron as their "supervisors" (all Hyrulian house-elves served the King) required. Sergeant Purley Stebbins was no different.

"Do you need me any further, Your Grace?" the house-elf asked.

"Not for now, Purley. I'll need their bottles brought around twoish, listen for when they wake up, or when I call. Harry knows to wake me, Neville will probably try to nurse me first."

"Begging Your Grace's pardon, but wouldn't they be happier in a cot?"

Link replied, "Heaven forbid! Harry has already taken up civilized ways, I trust Neville will as well." All Kokiri, including Link, believed that infants and toddlers should sleep upon the chests of their parents. As this was the way all Kokiri raised their children, and indeed was the only way _to_ raise Kokiri children, it was what Link would do.

Sergeant Stebbins had not only entertained the two toddlers, but had expertly exhausted them. Harry, used to bathing before going to bed, asked, "Bath, Dádí?"

Link answered, in modern Kiríál, "Yes, Harry. Then, bed-time. It's been a long day, and we will have a longer one tomorrow settling in at home. Neville and you have a new home, and I have the two of you as new sons. This will take some getting used to.

Link bathed the two boys, only getting slightly drenched in the process. He put nappies on them, and lay down to sleep with them on his chest.

As Link dosed off, Neville quietly asked "Cot, Hawwy?"

Harry answered, "No, Nevo. Dádí."

Neville predictably tried to nurse off of Link at half past one. After a quick explanation and two bottles of formula, the toddlers went back to sleep.

Link dreamt again, as he had for the past several nights. At least, he had assumed he was dreaming normally. However, he realized that the presence he felt in his dreams had doubled this night. After a moment's thought he realized what was happening. Kokiri children who were still nursing would frequent the dreams of their parents. This had seldom happened to Link, as his only two Kokiri children, Darunia and Darmani, were both boys, and boys tended to share their mother's dreams, whereas daughters shared the dreams of their fathers. But, Darunia had shared Link's dreams several times when he had been truly frightened of something, and Darmani had shared his dreams several times while he was still in his mother's womb.

Link sought out his two new sons. Harry came to him joyously and almost instantly, speaking perfectly. Neville came more reluctantly, and seemed to hesitate in his speech. Link comforted both boys, and explained the dream they were sharing, of a time when Link and his first life-mate, Queen Saria, were still children. The three of them dreamt thusly through the rest of the night, until the train reached the train station at the dungeons of Hyrule Castle.

* * *

Parliament had just approved the adoption and succession bill not ten minutes before. The Chancellor and Prime Minister practically sprinted from the Parliamentary Chambers to meet the Duke's Train with the bills for signature. They arrived at the platform moments before the train itself did; the Honour Guard of Gerudo Dragoons had already formed to welcome their liege-lord. As soon as the train stopped, the two politicians entered to first locate the Lord-Keeper, then the Duke, that the bills would be signed before anyone left the train. They found William, Link, Sergeant Stebbins, Harry, and Neville in the observation car. Link saw the documents the Chancellor and Prime-Minister were carrying. He took, read, and signed them without speaking. Link then bid the men leave the compartment so he could finish dressing Harry and Neville, who had amazingly remained asleep even after Link himself awoke and attended to his morning ablutions. The Prime Minister and Chancellor left the train to take their place in the receiving line outside.

Link left the train several minutes later, carrying Prince Harry and Prince Neville, to the quiet applause of the men gathered outside. They were quiet because they had been warned their Duke would be carrying two young children who wouldn't appreciate loud noises from strangers in a strange setting. Prince Neville and Prince Harry looked about as the Gerudo Dragoons quietly gave their traditional greeting, "My Father, the King!"

Prince Harry looked at his new father and asked, in perfect _fifth century Kiríál,_ "Do I have that many brothers, Papa? Must I share you with all of them, too?"

Link answered likewise, "Not exactly. I'm more like a Great-Papa to them, and they are already grown men. I'll tell you more about them when you can understand it."

Prince Neville asked, in perfect _modern_ Kiríál, "When will that be, Dádí?"

Link answered, "Soon, Neville. But first, we go up to breakfast."

"Pancakes?" Prince Harry interrupted.

"Perhaps…" Link answered.

As the Duke and his sons left the platform to their private living quarters, William remained behind to answer the questions he knew would be coming. He was not disappointed.

"You weren't kidding, Lord-Keeper! If I didn't know better, I would swear they were _Kokiri_ themselves!" Lothar said.

"As would I" Alastor seconded, adding "So, they had already bonded when you called us yesterday evening?"

"Harry had" William answered. "Neville was just a matter of time, though he will never be as close as Harry. And, Neville and Harry themselves are also bonded. Both children spoke above the level of ones their age, unless both had been of Kokiri intellect before. Now, as you can see, they feed off of their father's intellect, especially for languages, not unlike Kokiri children."

At that moment, everyone in the castle felt a profound sense of well-being and protection envelop them. Alastor paused, then spoke. "I think I know how Prince Harry survived Avada Kedavra.

"It would seem that Lily Potter either knew or guessed the Shield Charm of the Mother's blood-love. The incantation has been lost for centuries; had I not studied Charms as a favourite hobby for all my life I wouldn't know of this myself. But the charm, if cast by a powerful spell-caster, and _received_ by a powerful spell caster, will protect the recipient from almost _anything_ and _everything_ for many years. In fact, in the feeblest of circumstances, this charm has been known to last in some degree until the recipient reached adulthood. In other circumstances, the protection has lasted even longer."

William interjected, "Our own Duke was a recipient of this unusual charm when he was an infant, or at least so the legends say. Before you ask, I tried asking him once as a young man; he nearly discharged me on the spot, and I never asked again. But I'm sure he was."

Lothar said, "I've studied that charm myself. Supposedly, it only lasts when the recipient is housed in a dwelling of one of his mother's relatives."

William answered, "I wanted to be a Charms Master and teacher in my youth. As I remember the charm, what you say is correct. The continuing effect of the charm depended on the recipient dwelling in the house of his mother's blood, being loved in that home, and the relative themselves being magically powerful, in that order. Blood alone was to be enough to sustain the child whilst they dwelt there. Love would reinforce the charm, and the magical power of the relative would add power. Prince Harry is descended from His Grace on both his father's and his mother's lines. His Grace is as powerful a spellcaster as has walked the earth, and is much stronger than most. And I could see that His Grace loved Prince Harry at first sight! Prince Harry, in turn, loves His Grace as is they had always been father and son.

"It would seem that we have indeed done a good turn for the realm in this hurried piece of legislation. Let us now go upstairs. We need to find out when His Grace adopted these poor orphans, and when he plans on telling the Realm of it."

The three public servants, having been preceded off the platform by the Gerudo Honour Guard by several minutes, left for the upper floors of the castle.

* * *

The next few months were indeed months of discovery for all. Neither Prince Harry nor Prince Neville had been christened, though both Harry and Neville had god-parents, as per wizarding tradition. Harry's godparents were Sirius Black, who was imprisoned in Azkaban Fortress awaiting trial for the betrayal of James and Lily Potter amongst other crimes, and Alice Longbottom, who was with her husband Frank Longbottom hospitalized at St. Mungo's Hospital in London for cruciatus after-effects, likely never to be released. Neville's godparents in turn were James and Lily Potter. Link had proxies summoned from the choir of the Chapel Royal, and had the Archbishop of Castleton, the leader of the Hyrulian Christian Church perform the ceremonies.

Seeing both of his sons spiritually "bathed" until they were of age to be baptized (the Hyrulian Christian Church is unique by both requiring infant christening, and baptism when the person accepts Christ's Final Pardon), Link found himself free to get on with the rest of his life raising two magically strong, emotionally fragile, and exceedingly wilful sons. To bend the will to follow only righteous causes, strengthen the emotions, and properly encourage the magic, unlike the English who neglected this strength far too long, was a challenge even for Link. But, though feelings were occasionally hurt, and bottoms occasionally spanked, neither father nor children ever came close to forgetting that they loved each other, and far more days were filled with laughter than sorrow or consternation.

Meanwhile, in Surrey, Harry's absence was being felt, though no one knew what they missed, nor why. Dudley Dursley, who was indeed quite magical, started to "spark," or cast accidental magic. With no Harry for the magic to be blamed upon, nor with the indirect lesson to destroy one's magical core Harry would have provided, Dudley became more magically powerful, not less. Vernon and Petunia, rather than spoiling their only son, treated him much more harshly. When their daughter was still-born, because of Petunia's hatred of magic, it was Dudley who caught the blame, not Harry. Dudley was not mistreated the way Harry had been, especially not at first, but he no longer knew the unconditional affection and lack of boundaries that would have passed for love from his parents.

Moreover, the Traitor's Payment was slowly being spent. Had the Dursleys known or cared, there was one caveat to their having accepted the payment they did. That caveat was that if they tried to return whatever part of the money was still theirs, they would get Harry back as if they had never sold him. However, they had no idea just how important Harry would be to them. It took them over six months, but the last of the money was spent on the first day of June. With the spending of the last pence, on a bouquet of roses for Petunia, the wards on 4 Privet Drive fell, never to be replaced.

The Dursleys neither knew nor cared that the wards fell. But, in the Lammermuir Hills, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore also felt the wards fall. And Albus Dumbledore _did_ know, and _did_ care. For, as far as he knew, the worst possible tragedy to befall humankind had just happened. Harry Potter, the only known person capable of killing Voldemort for good, had disappeared or died. When Voldemort came back again, as he was sure to, _nothing_ would be able to stop him. Dumbledore hung his head and wept bitterly at his profound mistake in judgment, and at the cost it would undoubtedly bring.


	4. Crosses

**Chapter 4, Crosses**

Albus Dumbledore was not a man to waste time mourning over mistakes; no matter how grievous they seemed, at least not when there were things to do. He quickly considered his options. The wards had indeed fallen. But, they had not fallen to violence; they just vanished, as if there was nothing there to support them. He checked the second talisman he kept on his desk, the one he only had time to tie to Harry's life. Had he allowed more time, he would have also charmed the talisman to reflect Harry's health; time that in retrospect he knew he should have found. The talisman, a phoenix feather, still glowed a bright gold, showing that Harry indeed still lived; though Albus thought he could divine nothing beyond that.

But, Petunia and Vernon Dursley were Harry Potter's aunt and uncle. _Surely_ they would not need to be watched as if they were mere hirelings with no interest in the boy. Yet, his conscience and the failure of the wards told him that the Dursleys were exactly that. In the back of his mind, he had thought that a slight possibility, after all, their hatred of magic was well known to any who knew Lily Potter. Albus thought that blood would run thicker than hatred. Sadly, it appeared, he may have been wrong. This was one bridge he had feared to cross. Yet, it was now the time of the crossing; to delay would ensure disaster. Paying the price of this failure would be yet another cross for Albus to bear, one he would not carry if the burden could be dissolved by timely action.

The Hogwarts Headmaster called for two men to make the journey with him to Little Whinging. The first answered instantly and arrived in Dumbledore's office by way of the school floo system. That man was Severus Snape, Hogwarts' new Potions Master, and Dumbledore's spy against Voldemort. Snape was also a master Legillimens, one capable of "reading" one's mind and memories, even if they had been tampered with. Dumbledore shared this skill with Severus, but valued Snape's unique insight, especially if Harry's disappearance was related to Death Eater activity.

The second man had to floo in from his flat in London; he arrived just after Snape. He was Remus Lupin. Lupin was the closest remaining living friend of James and Lily Potter, and had been in Dumbledore's private organization fighting Voldemort; the Order of the Phoenix. Lupin was also a werewolf. His senses of smell, hearing, and general observation were much keener than most through the entire month, not just on the night of the full moon when he transformed from man to beast. The only slight problem with Dumbledore's choice of assistants was that when Lupin and Snape were both students, Sirius Black had tricked Snape into breaking into Lupin's warded cell just off of school grounds on the night of a full moon. Snape had almost been infected with Lycanthropy himself. As a result, though Lupin himself was in no way to blame, was that Snape loathed Lupin with every fibre of his being.

Both men looked at each other, Snape glaring fit to kill. Dumbledore interrupted them. "Gentlemen, we have a bit of a problem. The wards on Harry's Aunt's house fell not ten minutes ago. No other alarms sounded. Severus, have you heard of anything being planned?"

The Potions Master answered, "No, Headmaster. There are three factions of Death Eaters abroad at this time, none of them are concerned with anything beyond finding where Voldemort's spirit has disappeared to. And even that isn't being actively pursued due to the Ministry, and fear of discovery. We're talking no more than twenty-five people at most, after all, and few of them having any real talent or skills.

"I thought as much" the Headmaster stated. "I asked you both here to follow me to Surrey. I intend to find out what happened to Harry. I will in turn need your own skills of observation to help me find a clearer picture of recent events."

"Do you think Harry is alright Headmaster?" Remus asked, clearly trying to fight off a panic attack as he spoke.

Dumbledore answered gently, "Most likely so, Remus. But that is for us to find out; we should leave at once."

The three men walked outside of Hogwarts Castle, to the edge of the school grounds. Once outside of the anti-apparation shields, they apparated to Surrey, to the home of Arabella Figg.

* * *

Arabella was surprised to see Dumbledore, to say the least. She was also cross with the Headmaster. "About time you showed up, Albus! I've been telling you for months that the muggles were acting strangely. They've been spending like sailors, they've stopped parading their own pudding of a son about, and not one sign of Harry the whole time! I even offered my services as a babysitter to try to see what was going on with that shrew Dursley; she laughed in my face, _then_ she slammed her door in my face!" 

Dumbledore asked, "Have you even seen Harry?"

"Not since the night you, McGonnigal, and Hagrid left him there! By the time I got up and walked that way, the basket had already been taken inside."

The three men pondered this. Snape asked, "Did you seen the brat taken into the house?"

Figg answered, "No. I said that he had _already_ been taken in."

Snape continued, "So we know that the Potter brat got as far as the front steps of his aunt's house, but not that he even entered, much less lived there."

Remus asked, "But what about the wards? If Harry never lived there, how did they even take in the first place?"

Albus answered, "The wards cast themselves. They were in fact up the moment I sat Harry's carry-cot on the Dursleys' steps. All I did was to place monitoring charms within the wards to keep some kind of watch on the comings and goings there.

"I think it's time we paid the Dursleys a visit, gentlemen" Dumbledore finished. After transfiguring their wizard's robes into muggle business attire, the three men let themselves out of Arabella Figg's house, and walked to the Dursleys. They mounted the front steps, and Albus knocked loudly on the door. After almost a minute, Petunia Dursley answered.

"What do you want? Are you selling something, or begging for charity? We already gave, and we're not interested!" She tried to slam the door closed, but found it wouldn't move, courtesy of a freezing charm from Lupin. Dumbledore asked, "May we come in, Mrs. Dursley? We are neither selling, nor begging. We only need a few minutes of your time."

Petunia answered rudely, "Well, you can get that where you stand, and very little of that, before I call the police! What do you want?"

Dumbledore answered civilly, "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I left you a note a few months back, when your nephew came to stay with you."

Petunia almost shrieked, "I have no nephew! You freaks were supposed to stay away!" She calmed down, almost as if obliviated, and said, "What do you want? Are you selling something, or begging for charity? We already gave, and we're not interested!" She tried to slam the door, and this time succeeded.

Albus asked quietly, "Remus? Do you remember Harry's smell?"

The werewolf answered, "I'll remember it for the rest of my life, Headmaster. There's the faintest trace of the smell right were you stand, and nowhere else. Harry isn't here, and hasn't been here ever beyond the night you set him on these steps."

The three men left 4 Privet Drive, talking quietly as they looked for a quiet place from which to apparate back to Hogwarts. Dumbledore asked, "Severus? Your observations?"

The spy answered, "Not Death-Eater, there was too much skill involved, and if they had hired something like this out, I'd have heard about it. Not that I know who they could have been hired for this.

"The woman's memory was clearly altered, but by a type of memory charm I've never seen before. I was able to see a memory of the Potter brat on the steps. I felt a warm sensation, and the memory disappeared, as if it was entirely imagined or dreamt. But it wasn't; the child was there, and was removed before that woman's eyes; most likely with her consent.

"And before you ask, Headmaster, I don't think we can gain anything further from interrogating that lot! The memory modification runs far deeper than either of us can reach with legillimancy. I don't even think Verataserum would work. We may need to call the Ministry for this."

The three men, having found a momentarily empty alleyway, apparated to the edge of the Hogwarts wards. As they walked up to the castle, Albus replied, "No. We can't call the ministry. They would only make the situation worse. We must look for him ourselves, we can't even risk others in the Order finding out that Harry Potter is missing."

"So, Headmaster, when are you going to obliviate Figg?"

"That won't be necessary, Severus. I'll speak to her in a few moments, and explain the gravity of the situation to her. She'll do her part, and not speak of our current predicament.

"Meanwhile, both of you, I need you to listen to all of your contacts in your various walks of life, and see if you can hear anything. I need not say to not create any interest that's not there, just find out what is to be known." With that, they were standing outside of Dumbledore's office, beside the two stone gargoyles which guarded the spiral staircase up to the office itself. Lupin and Snape both could sense a dismissal when they received one; each left to do their employer's bidding.

* * *

It was the first of June 1982. The wards had fallen earlier that day in Surrey. But in Castleton, at Hyrule Castle, the wards Prince Harry brought with him were just as impressive if not more so than the day the toddler arrived. It was the middle of the evening. Link lay in his bed, his sons asleep upon his chest, in a quiet moment between waking times shared with two energetic near-two-year-olds, and his dreams, shared with the same two children, as both Prince Harry and Prince Neville freely visited his dreams where their bonds would allow. 

The last child to do so was Link's eldest, Darunia, and that was over one thousand years ago. And, in those innocent times, Link hadn't had nearly the horrors, the shames, the blood-shed and violence; the _baggage _he had now. Yet, it wasn't so different. He and Saria, his first wife and life-mate, shared all their dreams since shortly after they bonded, and even many before that time. They could easily sense when their son joined them, and not dream of things they would rather not explain to their son at such a tender age. It was the same now, there was just so much more now to turn his children away from.

He looked out the window of his bedroom. His bedroom window faced Queen Victoria's Gate, the front or ceremonial gate of the castle's outer wall. Atop the arch of the gateway flew the Union Jack. But, the Union Jack never flew alone from those battlements, and only flew at all since the time of Queen Victoria. Each of the constituent parts of Britain had its own flag, its own "cross," if you will. England, of course, had the Cross of St. George, a red cross on a white field, as it had since shortly after the time of Horsa and Hengist. Scotland had the Saltire, the white Cross of St. Andrew on a blue field. Ireland had the Cross of St. Patrick, red on a white field. The Union Jack was no more and no less then the combinations of the Saltire, St. George's Cross, and St. Patrick's Cross on the same banner. There were other crosses in Britain, though.

The Welsh had the Cross of Dewi Sant, the Cross of St. David of Wales, yellow on a black background. The Shetland Islands had a white cross on a sky-blue field that looked suspiciously like the flag of Denmark. And the Hyrulians had, as they had since the start of the sixth century, the Cross of St. Darunia; the blaze orange cross on the grey field that flew from Link's battlements beside the Union Jack in the spotlights. That cross was in so many ways Link's cross to bear; not just as a Duke, or a King, but as a man.

St. Darunia was in fact Link's first son; a fact lost to all but the most astute of Hyrulian historians, despite the fame of both St. Darunia's short but fruitful ministry, and the many famous blood-soaked exploits of Darunia the Watchful, third Duke of Hyrule, champion to his father King Link the Valliant. Link fathered Darunia when he was but a few months past his eleventh birthday, barely himself an adult in the eyes of his adopted race in those ancient times. But, in Link's defence, he had already been fighting Ganondorf's monsters since the very hour of his eleventh birthday, and had been married to Saria for all but ten of his days of adulthood. Where most Kokiri conceived their first child just more than a week after their wedding, Link waited over four months. As Kokiri conceived with their first union, and could no more refuse each other than refuse to breathe, this was indeed showing considerable restraint.

Link's apparent youth was not the only problem he faced raising his eldest son. He and Saria conceived Darunia just before the Triforce was split. The Triforce was a sacred talisman left behind by the angels who created the Hyrulian races before the fall of angels and the start of the reign of man, imbued with the power of all three angels. The legends stated that if one of a pure heart were to possess the Triforce that peace, prosperity, and happiness would rule the land. But if one of a purely evil heart were to possess it, then the world would be plunged into darkness, misery, and despair.

The Triforce was split into no less than three pieces when Link attempted to stop Ganondorf, his evil elder half-brother from seizing it to enslave the entire world To this very day, Link carried a piece of it, known as the Triforce of Courage imbedded magically in his left hand, the hand that had always wielded his sword. The seven years that followed were known as the "Shadow Time," for at the end of that time Princess Zelda, the woman who Link was _supposed_ to marry, turned time back seven years, to the very day of Link's eleventh birthday. This almost destroyed time itself! But, at the cost of her own eternal freedom, Saria helped Link to repair the damage, and as an unexpected bonus, the six year old Darunia was cast back into the flow of time, at the side of his grateful and loving father.

Saria's imprisonment was indeed eternal. She was one of the Seven Sages, who arose in the end of the Shadow Time to help Link defeat Ganondorf the first time, and would arise again to help Link win the final battle against Ganondorf Dragmire, or "Ganondorf the Damned." But the other six sages, including Queen Zelda, Link's _second_ wife, were dead, and watched the world from the Spirit Realm. But Saria, like her husband, had used the Master Sword in defence of the cause of righteousness and truth against the attack of evil. Thus, she was, like her life-mate, required to live until all evil was defeated for ever, in other words, until the end of time itself when Christ's Final Pardon would bear fruit and all who accepted it would live eternally. Though not of his making, this was the first of many crosses Link would bear.

Darunia had also wielded the Master Sword, against his father's wishes, though at the end of the Shadow Time rather than the very beginning. Because of this, Link thought that Darunia would also live until the end of time, despite the indirect warnings of God himself that the eternal life Darunia would live would be quite different from the one Link would live. Link was never boastful or arrogant. And whether it be discipline or affection, whatever Darunia needed was freely given by Link. Yet for all that, Darunia had one serious flaw in his upbringing; because of the way _he_ had lived his first six years. Where Link had only lived the Shadow Time once, Darunia had lived it _twice;_ the first time raised by a Link who was emotionally devastated at the loss of his life-mate, and was thus cold and distant, the second time, the only one Link would ever know, where Link and Saria had raised Darunia together almost until the very end of the Shadow Time. This made Darunia vulnerable to Agahimnon's deceipt; Darunia attacked his father, almost causing Ganondorf's premature return to power. Link and Darunia both survived that day, and Link easily forgave Darunia. But Darunia never forgave himself.

Thus, Darunia finally accepted the Gospel; despite the fact that Link himself spoke to Jesus of Nazareth and brought Christianity to Hyrule, Darunia had been a non-believer for most of his life. Moreover, Darunia preached the fullness of the Gospel throughout Hyrule, where he was greeted with some amusement by the populace, who had all been practicing Christians or Jews (refugees from other parts of Europe, one of the tenets of the Hyrulian Christian Church was that the Jews were to be in no way mistreated) for the past eighty plus years. But when Darunia took his ministry to Ireland, the Celts were not amused in the least. For many of the tenets Darunia preached, such as immersion baptism and a personal relationship with the Saviour, were blasphemous to the Celts. And, many Celtic Christian practices, such as the selling of advance forgiveness of sins, called indulgences, were equally blasphemous to the Hyrulians.

There was also another "issue" between the Irish and the Hyrulians. Kokiri resembled Leprechauns. Irish peasants, ever watchful for ways to improve their lot, took to kidnapping Kokiri, especially the young children who couldn't fight back. This usually ended up with the child's demise, if not from fright then from the inevitable torture employed by the Irish peasants to force the well-underage Kokiri who was no wealthier than the Irishman to tell where their pot of gold was. This lead to the inevitable reprisals, often led by Lord Darunia himself, where the Hyrulians would sack a village and kill all but a few of the inhabitants, to make suresomeone toldof what happened to those whooffended the realm of Hyrule. Thus, Darunia was crucified and immolated just outside of Antrim.

The Archbishop of Antrim, who was primarily responsible, was conveyed by Link whole into the Lake of Fire. The rest of Ireland avoided slaughter only by Darunia's intervention from beyond the grave. Though Link, who had once wanted fully open borders and trade with the Irish kingdoms never mounted a general attack, relations were truly poisoned from then on. Despite the nomination for Catholic Sainthood from the other Irish bishops, despite that sainthood being rightly granted in less than one year, Link's forgiveness, compelled from him by his dead son, was indeed cold, frosty, and malignly indifferent. Until the time of Queen Victoria, no Irish cause brought before Link ever received favourable consideration.

This was yet another bushel-basket of crosses for Link to bear, and he bore quite a few from over fifteen hundred years of life and rule. And, the two children sleeping on his chest, waiting impatiently for their new adoptive father to join them, were yet another. Prince Harry was identified by both English and Hyrulian prophecy as "the one with the power to destroy the Dark Lord," heady stuff indeed. Link had just volunteered himself to raise this child to be powerful, yet not arrogant, conceited, or otherwise unkind. He had no idea how he was going to do this, only that he had one chance, and failure would destroy all of Britain, including Hyrule. And more importantly, it would break Link's heart yet one more time; a time Link was truly desperate to do without. He would find that way, for Neville's sake, for Harry's sake, and indeed for his own. But most importantly, he would do it for the only lady who had both been true and been _there_ for him all his adult life; the Realm of Hyrule. _She_ needed Link to succeed. He had never denied _her,_ even when every fibre of his being told him to quit. He would not deny her in this.

But there _were_ some tributes he was no longer willing to pay, not that he was ever willing in paying them. It was for her that he betrayed his bonding vows to Queen Saria and married Queen Zelda. It was for _her_ safety that he openly betrayed his marriage vows to Queen Zelda by fathering every Gerudo child for almost twenty years, returning sons and normal fertility to that star-crossed race. The traumas this caused Zelda left him open to betray his marital vows to her _again, _when he fell in love with and bonded with the twin to Queen Saria in the other world, fathering Prince Darmani. In turn, that Saria's and his efforts to keep Link true to Queen Zelda alienated Darmani; though Darmani also fought with the Master Sword, and likely was living yet, Link hadn't spoken with him directly since Darmani was a small boy, not much older than Harry and Neville were now. There were other causes, there always were it seemed. Yet, this time, Link vowed there would _not_ be. If the realm demanded sacrifice from him again, it would only receive sacrifice from _him,_ not his sons. To all of the world Harry and Neville might still be just two small boys, but to Link, they were indeed all the world.

Some carried their crosses life-long. Some truly powerful personages simply carried their crosses for a few miles, and were done with it; their labours being complete. But some were obliged to carry their crosses, be nailed upon them, have their legs broken, and _then_ be told to police up the area, carry their crosses back to the barn, and be ready for the following performance next week. This was indeed the Divine _Duty_ of Kings. And, whereas _rights_ could be taken away, _duties_ stayed with one for life. But at least these two were light, and were rather pleasant company, even when they were being wilful; which wouldn't start in earnest for another few months. Link finally let sleep overtake him, and joined his sons playing with a strange menagerie of a stag, dog, and wolf.


	5. Searches and Situations

**Chapter 5, Searches and Situations**

A/N: I know where I'm going with this story, though I could use some feedback on how well I'm getting there.

Harry won't be a "powerful!Harry," or if he is he won't be as "powerful!" as say, "The Awakening of a Magus." However, he will be much more educated than his peers, and will in fact be powerful, though he will still be "Harry." He will still wear glasses, he will still struggle at times with his studies, as well as his fate. Severus Snape will make a larger appearance in the next few chapters. He will be quickly disabused of his illusion between James Potter, Harry Potter, and Harry, and will make the adjustments with some difficulty all around.

I apologise for the "slow" progress to Diagon Alley. Rest assured, Prince Harry will get there soon, though he has several hurdles to clear first, and the clearing of those hurdles will make a big difference to the way Harry treats those he finds there, and on the Hogwarts Express. I see a emotionally traumatized Slytherin, and an unexpected emotionally traumatized Gryfindor, and I'm _not_ talking about Ron! Twenty points to the house who guesses which Gryfinfor I'm talking about, before chapter eight, and _why._ Now, on with the story.

1 Jan 2005-changed internal header to reflect correct chapter, some minor typo corrections, others may have been missed. Thanks.

24 September 2005-added content.

* * *

Severus Snape knew Kokirish magic when he saw it, even if his mentor had forgotten what it looked like. In many ways, Kokiri magic was identical to other general forms of magic. But in some ways it was _different_. Like High-Elven magic, Youki magic, and Elemental Magic, it was just different from "normal" spellcasting. 

And the weird obliviation Petunia Dursley had suffered was most assuredly Kokirish. It most closely resembled some trick related to a contract gone wrong, contracts with this peculiar feature almost always being criminal. But, to the extent that there was a Kokiri Underworld, they _never_ engaged in kidnap or anything remotely resembling kidnap. They tended to steal or smuggle, and occasionally loan-shark.

But even so, Severus had but one contact to the Kokiri, one he was loathe to re-establish. The man had told Severus that the necessity of their business was ended, and that Severus need not worry about meeting again. This had pleased Severus no end. For, despite the man never being unpleasant, he frightened Severus even more than the Dark Lord. Severus had no intention of interacting with this man again. _Ever._

Yet, after a few days of listening to the impotent bleating of Lucius Malfoy, Avery, and Nott, it was either that, or make Death-Eater lampshades and explain to the Wizengamot why he killed and skinned three of Magical England's finest subjects. So, with a heavy heart, he went out to the Forbidden Forest, with message already written. After several minutes, he gently stunned a sparrow, and summoned it to him. He placed a calming charm on the frightened bird, tied the note to its leg, and enchanted it so it would fly one time like a post-owl to its intended destination.

* * *

Four days later, Link was reading to Prince Harry and Prince Neville when a sparrow flew into the window of his office. He took the bird, and removed the note from its ankle. 

The note was written in High-Elven. It read: "Harry Potter vanished from his aunt's house in Surrey, time uncertain. His aunt displayed symptoms of Kokirish obliviation, though most wouldn't recognize it, and even I'm unsure exactly what spell or spells were used. Do you have any answers?"

Link thought for a moment, and banished the writing from the parchment. He wrote back, again in High-Elven: "Your observations should go no farther under any circumstances. Do not worry, I will find the answers you are seeking if they can be found in my part of Britain. You should counsel patience. After all, if others were to get the wrong ideas, things could become most unpleasant. You seem to be running short of dimes. I've enclosed a fresh bag. We should talk more."

Link took a pouch of silver dimes from his desk. He charmed them, and then he attached the bag of dimes with the note onto the sparrow. He silently and wandlessly cast strengthening and calming charms on the small bird. Then he called for Guy, one of the phoenixes that frequented the castle and carried Link's mail from time to time.

While continuing to read to Prince Harry and Prince Neville with his own mouth, he spoke through Navi's to the phoenix, as he gave the sparrow to the larger magical avian.

"Guy, please take this bird to just outside of the Forbidden Forrest, in Scotland. Do not be seen. You may visit your brother, but if you do it must appear as if that was your only purpose for being there." Guy trilled in assent, took the sparrow, and vanished in a flash of light.

"Brilliant!" shouted two two-year-olds. Prince Neville asked, "Why doesn't Guy come around more often, Dádí?"

Link said, "He does, Neville. He helps sing the two of you to sleep sometimes. But he must let the other phoenixes have their turns too."

Link went back to reading them their story; a story too close to Link's heart about a young orphan forced by fate to ride off to fight monsters and save damsels; they oohed, aahed, and cheered in all the right places. With story-time done, Link took them to their cot and put them to sleep. Much as he wanted to, he could only have them sleep properly at night; he did have a realm to run and couldn't well do it from his bed. Just the same, he muted most of the noise coming into their cot with a partial one-way silencing charm, and placed a screen strategically so he could see the cot and children where his visitors and callers could not.

He was not a moment too soon, a Parliamentary page knocked at his door with the Dispatch Box.

* * *

That evening, Severus Snape was taking a walk near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, expecting a reply to his note. His expectations were not disappointed. The same sparrow he sent had returned, obviously with some help, but that was the way it normally worked. He gently plucked the bird from the sky, relieved it of its burden, and set it free again. Severus cursed silently even before he read the note. 

He had gotten into the wrong crowd when he attended Hogwarts. Because of this, and other mistakes he made, he became a Death Eater. Once the true horror of what he'd done set in, he promptly tried to kill himself. Lily Potter, then Lily Evans saved his life, and took him up quietly to Headmaster Dumbledore; as head-girl she could call on the headmaster almost as if she were herself a teacher, without having to explain such niceties as why she was in the astronomy tower at three in the morning to find a slytherin bleeding out after deeply cutting his wrists and quaffing several anti-clotting draughts.

Albus stabilized Snape physically, and when the teen regained consciousness, offered the boy a alternative to self-slaughter, Azkaban, or continuing as a true Death Eater. Severus would spy for Albus, avoiding the "action" wherever possible, but under all circumstances giving the warning as quickly as possible without being caught or discovered.

This situation lasted unchanged for some time, until just after James Potter and Lily Evans were married. At that moment, a lower-ranking Death Eater by the name of Worley caught Snape in the middle of sending a warning to Dumbledore. Snape faced certain exposure, torture, and death. That is, until the Duke of Hyrule happened upon the scene and intervened. He placed a mind charm on Worley so that he went to Voldemort and bragged that he _himself_ was the spy, and killed several Death Eaters as proof before Voldemort killed him. Thus, Severus was once again safe.

Severus was also bound to yet another master. Link's cost of intervention was quite simple, and quite high. "You will send me reports of everything you find out about Voldemort's movements; and Dumbledore's movements too. Do this faithfully, and you will live. Fail, and you will be exposed to Voldemort. I will not let him kill you, but you won't be able to spy on him any longer."

Severus communicated with the Duke of Hyrule by the means of sparrows and American silver dimes. He would write his reports in High-Elven, a language Snape learned as a boy from his half-elf grandmother, but was otherwise almost unknown. He would take the note, fasten it to a sparrow along with an American silver dime, and send the bird on its way. The dime would act like a portkey; as well as providing a warning if Snape had been turned, or voluntarily betrayed his unique position to anyone. Link in turn would send his answers and instructions back using the same sparrow, and whatever means came to hand to speed the small bird safely on its journey. After Voldemort was dispatched, the bag of dimes vanished, replaced by a note reading "thanks." Snape was free!

But the fresh bag of dimes revealed that Severus' freedom was transitory at best. Once again, he was drafted into the service of the Duke of Hyrule. For what purpose and duration, Severus could only guess. This bothered him no end. He had had no loyalty to Voldemort, once he found out the truth behind the flowery and euphemistic propaganda the failed half-blood turned Walpurgian was fond of. But, he _was_ loyal to Albus Dumbledore, the only man ever to earn his respect. Yet, the English Potions Master was held hostage to the will of the Duke of Hyrule. For the Duke would indeed expose him if Severus failed to produce and produce faithfully. He cursed to himself again, shaking his head. He was a man prone to brooding, but not when there was work to be done.

He opened and read the note, reading between the lines. The Duke of Hyrule _knew_ where the brat was hidden! He might in fact have hidden the brat himself; the Duke was even more arrogant than Albus Dumbledore, which was saying something. He thought to himself as he walked toward the castle, burning the note and pocketing the dimes as he went. How much could he tell Dumbledore without betraying the Duke of Hyrule, and make no mistake, Dumbledore could no more save him from the Duke's wrath than stop the sun from rising in the morning. He arrived at the stone gargoyles and pronounced the password, "Milky Way." The gargoyles stepped to the side, admitting Severus, and at the same time telling Dumbledore who was coming up, as each person had a different password.

Albus opened the door magically as Snape topped the staircase. He said, "Do come in, Severus. Are we taking a break from grading final exams?"

Snape walked into his boss's office, cursing beneath his breath at the damned twinkle Dumbledore had in his eyes; a twinkle that simultaneously betrayed his boss's good mood and provided a fixation target so the old coot could legillimize whomever he was speaking to. But, it was in fact a game between the two of them. Severus was a master of Occlumency, the counter-art to legillamancy, and was one of only two people in the world whose thoughts were safe from Albus Dumbledore.

"If you had to grade the potions exams I've received this year, Headmaster, you'd be taking a break too!" Snape exclaimed as he took a seat, and silently refused Albus' offer of a lemon drop.

Snape continued, "I've still heard nothing. If any Death Eater had Potter, they would be crowing from the roof-tops. Likewise, any who would fancy themselves the _next_ Dark Lord would also be crowing if they had him. I would recommend doing as we are; looking, but looking _discretely._ After all, while we know who _doesn't_ have him, we don't know who _does,_ or _why._"

"Wonderful advice, as always, Severus" the headmaster replied. The two men talked of various things on into the night.

* * *

This regime of searching quietly continued on into the next year, with identical results. No one had Harry Potter, and no one knew that anyone else _didn't_ have Harry Potter. The Death Eaters thought Dumbledore had him, the Ministry thought Dumbledore had him, Dumbledore had no idea _who_ had him, and Link was raising him openly, with none save his own Lord-Keeper and Parliament being aware of just who Prince Harry really was. 

Meanwhile, the Hyrulian Press were finally publishing the rare, black and white photographs of Prince Harry and Prince Neville, in the society pages of _The Day_, _The Pantograph_, and the other leading Hyrulian newspapers. They also had an agreement with the Ducal Household, which they honoured scrupulously. Firstly, only black and white pictures were to be published, until further notice. Secondly, no pictures of Prince Harry were to be published without his makeup firmly in place on his forehead. Thirdly, only pictures approved by the Duke of Hyrule himself were to be published. The pictures tended to not emphasize Prince Harry, rather focusing more on Prince Neville, or Prince Neville and Prince Harry's playmates. The precautions weren't entirely without reason; Albus Dumbledore read _The Pantograph_ at least twice a week. But, in the end, it was the scar, and the brilliant green eyes that first gave Harry away as Harry Potter, and only to those who knew him. After all, the boy was only fifteen months old when he disappeared. And everyone knew that the Duke of Hyrule had actually raised Prince Harry and Prince Neville from infancy, taking them in the very day that their parents gave their lives bravely in service to Hyrule. Thusly Prince Harry was Prince Harry well before Harry Potter came up missing.

The situation continued yet another year. Dumbledore went so far as to write the Duke of Hyrule to enquire if he might be willing to aid in the search. Link was in a particularly bad mood because he had just received a note from Prince Harry and Prince Neville's school asking him to tell the princes that there were some words nice boys didn't say to their teachers, such as words that had four letters and referred to bodily functions, etc. He wrote back that "he wasn't in the Harry Potter finding business" and "in future kindly ask me where your children are _before_ you misplace them!" Severus occasionally checked in with Link, enquiring as to the state of affairs; always receiving the same answer in return—patience and discretion.

* * *

Remus Lupin finally had to find work again, something very difficult for a werewolf in wizarding England. Lupin had taken correspondence courses, and later had gone to night-school in the muggle world. Thus, Remus Lupin was qualified as a muggle school-teacher as well as a wizarding one, thanks to Albus Dumbledore. But there were no steady jobs for werewolf school-teachers in either wizarding or muggle England. The muggles wouldn't tolerate consistently being sick and away from the job with every full moon, even not knowing the dangers. If they for some reason _knew_ of magic, then they would refuse to hire Remus outright. After all, Lyncanthropy was indeed an incurable and potentially contagious disease! Who would hire a man with such an illness to care for small defenceless children? 

Remus was able to make some money as a private tutor, usually tutoring Lycanthropic children. Unfortunately, Remus had indeed been an exception to many rules; among those being that English children infected with Lycanthropy died of complications between three and five years after infection under the best cases; often children with this disease were killed by their parents or doctors far sooner, with the tacit approval of the Ministry of Magic.

Remus thought about applying for work in Hyrule. Unlike in England, there were few restrictions on werewolves; there were even some working as school teachers. But, in the end, he always held out for a few more months. He didn't want to be out of the country when Professor Dumbledore finally found Harry. He swore that _this_ time there would be no chance of the Dursleys getting Harry. Remus would raise the child himself, even if he had to kidnap Harry again and run off to Hyrule to do so! He had failed James and Lily once when Sirius betrayed them. He had failed them again when Harry was placed with his screwed-up Aunt and Uncle, and he failed them again as far as he knew when whoever kidnapped Harry struck. He would never fall them another time. Thusly, on this nineteenth day of July in 1984, Remus was most conflicted by the letter he had received from the employment agency with which he was working, trying to find a job.

The letter read:

"Dear Mr. Lupin: We have found a possible situation for you, tutoring two small gifted magical children. Neither one is a Lyncanthrope, and your potential employer knows of your own Lyncanthropy. Depsite that, the employer is particularly desirous of interviewing you for the situation. The only draw-back is that the posting is abroad, and due to the demands placed on your time should you be hired, travel back to England will be difficult. However, the employer offers you payment to the tune of £100,000 per year, full medical and healing benefits including all Lyncanthropy treatments, room, board, and a generous clothing allowance.

"We have no way of confirming who the employer is, though we suspect some Danish or Hyrulian noblemen or wealthy magical commoner. The employer's agents have posted an assurity bond and have sworn a Wizard's Oath that their employer is not, never has been, never will, and has no sympathy for Death Eaters, Walpurgians, or any other Evil Wizards. The potential employer wishes to met you at Ellsinore Castle in Denmark on the twenty-first of this month at Noon local time. We would strongly encourage you to take this posting; several of our other clients, clients we feel quite frankly would be better suited to this job, have already been explicitly rejected by the employer's agents. We doubt that we could find another situation this lucrative in the next one hundred years, and if an interview is not honestly held, we are unsure that we would find another situation at all.

Time is of the essence! We apologise for rushing you, but we need your return owl at once. Sincerely, TutorHire Inc, the leading employment agency for wizarding, squib, and knowledgeable muggle tutoring in all of England."

So, it was there in black-and-white. Remus would attend this interview in two days time, or his employment agency would drop him for good. He had originally tried smaller agencies, but none would take him; surprising, only the largest and most prestigious agency in England had the stones as well as the resources to work with a werewolf. But, their patience was at an end; if one turned down employment Abroad, and employment Abroad was the only employment available, then any agency who made their money off of the commission of successful hires would soon turn away; they were an _employment agency_ after all, not a charity.

So, with heavy heart, and no other choice, really, Remus wrote and sent his reply. "Dear sirs: My apologies for being behind the time in sending this. I will be at Ellsinore Castle at noon on the twenty-first. As per our contract, I will advise of the success or failure of the interview, and pay the appropriate monies whether the interview provides a situation or not. Sincerely, Remus J. Lupin."

Remus wrote another letter, this time to Professor Dumbledore. "Dear Headmaster: I am financially at my wit's end. My employment agency wrote me with an interview appointment for a situation Abroad. I have no choice but to make the interview, or to be dropped by them altogether. As they were the only agency to take me in the first place, I would in effect be on the dole, something my parents always feared, and something my respect for their memory will never allow happen.

"I will not be able to communicate regularly should I get the situation. However, if I find anything out about our special project, I will let you know as soon as I can.

"Please accept my apologies for what I must do. If there were any other way, I would indeed find it. Sincerely, Remus."

Remus received a reply on the morning of the twentieth, just as he was about to start his journey to Denmark. "Dear Remus: Don't worry about your situation. It may in fact be for the best. Let me know how your interview goes, and if you find out anything else of interest. Yours, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

* * *

The morning of the twenty-first found Remus Lupin standing at the wizarding plaque outside the ruins of Ellsinore Castle. Remus read the plaque to pass the time. 

"Ellsinore Castle. This castle was once the seat of government for the Kingdom of Denmark. After the tragic demise of Prince Hamlet, his uncle, and mother, the Danes were forced to turn to the Duke of Hyrule for protection. The Duke administered a government from this castle for the next fifty years, his price being that he alone would occupy the castle in future. As a political compromise, once Prince Hamlet's successor was finally agreed upon, the new Royal House moved to Copenhagen, and Ellsinore Castle was abandoned, and allowed to fall into ruin, as you see today."

"Remus Lupin?" someone asked.

Remus turned around to see a man with reddish blond hair and piercing blue eyes looking at him. The man stood six feet tall, making Remus feel slightly small, shrunken, and vulnerable. The werewolf Gryffindor found his courage and answered, "Yes, I am. And you would be, sir?"

The man answered, "I am your potential employer. You have come alone, which is a good thing."

Remus suddenly felt as if every thought and dream he ever had was being perused, and that he was in fact on trial for his life! He had read of being legillimized, but had never thought of it; one of the few side-effects of Lycanthropy was that it's sufferers were resistant to the Imperious Curse, and immune to being legillimized. Yet, the reading of his thoughts continued unabated.

Remus heard a voice in his mind, one he knew for a fact was planted there by the strange man before him. "Remus Lupin, does your loyalty to Harry Potter rise above your loyalty to Albus Dumbledore?"

Remus was paralysed with fear and uncertainty! For he was indeed loyal to Albus Dumbledore for all the things the Headmaster had done for him over the years, when lesser men could not or would not be bothered. Yet, Harry was not only his friends' son, he had indeed become his own "cub," werewolves were most devoted to their children; and if the parental bond travelled from man to wolf, the children of Lycanthopes were indeed almost perfectly safe from contracting Lyncanthropy from _anyone._

In his mind's eye, Remus saw a pile of Galleons and thousand-pound notes. The voice continued, "Remus, no man is perfect, but you are a good man. I only require the truth from you. The money you see as a vision will become real, you must only tell me the honest truth. If the truth is not to my liking, you will not be barred from that you would honestly do in later years, unlike some. You would only be barred from harming those I have sworn to protect, until you would give them no harm. If the truth _is_ to my liking, you would receive this money, and more besides. Moreover, you would be engaged in the work of your heart as well as that of your mind. But fair or foul, I _must_ have the truth, and have it now! I ask again, who do you chose first, Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore."

Remus' mind was frozen. Yet, his heart was clear. Before he could reconsider, Remus answered hopefully, "Harry?"

The voice left his mind, and the man before him spoke normally. He said, "If you answered in truth, the situation is yours, Mr. Lupin. I will allow you to meet your students, in their home, within the hour. At that time, I will explain the details of your situation, and theirs, and I will require a final and binding answer from you. As you know, I've already read many of your thoughts and memories. Rest assured I can obliviate you as well, should I need to, as that is the only way left to me to honourably protect my charges should you prove more loyal to Dumbledore, or should you think Dumbledore serves their interests more faithfully than I do.

"Pick up the satchel by your feet" the man commanded. Remus picked it up, noting it was rather heavy. "That, Remus, is the money you saw. It is an interview bonus, whether or not you accept the situation. If you refuse it, you won't remember the true details of our conversation, only that your interviewer had filled the posting elsewhere; your agency and you both will be paid generously, and they will in turn be encouraged to continue to try finding you employment. If you accept the situation, with all the restrictions it entails, your agency will be paid by me for both my commission and yours. They will be happy to work with you in future, though I venture you will never need them again; after all, I can't remember the last time I've had to fire someone, and I doubt that you will quit, though you will be free to do so, subject to the restrictions of your employment. Do you wish to continue?"

At first, Remus was unaware he had been asked a question by his prospective new boss. But, he came around, and numbly nodded his head. The man stated pleasantly but finally, "This satchel is also a portkey. We will be there in three… two… one!" Remus' vision became a swirl of colours.

* * *

Link braced Remus as they landed in the Duke's office. He said, "Remus, if I may be so bold, I am Link Arlisson, the Duke of Hyrule. I haven't decided how to have you address me, but until and unless I tell you otherwise, _never_ refer to me by my name! 'Your Grace,' 'His Grace,' and 'your Father' when speaking to the boys will do for now. Let's sit down and speak further." 

Remus answered, "Yes, Your Grace?" as he sat down on a rather comfortable sofa.

"Excellent, Remus. You'll do just fine. Now as to your situation. You're familiar with Prince Harry and Prince Neville, are you not?"

Remus answered, "Before this morning, I would have thought myself as familiar with them as any other Englishman, and more so than most. But I now sense I am quite ignorant about them, Your Grace."

"Indeed, Remus. I'll tell you the short version of what happened. Before James and Lily Potter were killed, Lily wrote me, _as her kinsman, asking_ me to help her keep Harry alive and safe. If you've ever studied Kokirish custom, you would know that to refuse her would have branded me _niederling _and unfit to rule or live. I travelled with all possible speed to Godric's Hollow, but I was to late to intervene otherwise, Lily and James were murdered, Voldemort's killing curse at Harry rebounded, and thus began the English legend and hysteria about the "Boy Who Lived." I followed Harry's travels from Godric's Hollow to Little Whinging, where Albus Dumbledore intended Harry to be raised, not even knowing of the fate of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. I watched Harry's Aunt and Uncle, and immediately found them profoundly unfit to raise Harry. I was thus honour-bound to remove Harry from their care permanently, and find him a more suitable home.

"So, the following morning, I paid the Dursleys a visit, and paid them the 'Traitor's Payment' in exchange for Harry. I had already determined that Frank and Alice Longbottom would make ideal adoptive parents for Harry, provided they were true to Harry, and not Dumbledore's limited understanding of blood shields as opposed to other forms of protection, and I will explain that in just a moment.

"The day I went to do the final interview with the Longbottoms happened to be the day when Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband, and young Barty Crouch decided to torture the Longbottoms into insanity and attempt the murder of Frank Longbottom's mother. Neville had vanished himself, and would have died for sure if I hadn't found him. Unfortunately, I had lost the one place I could have placed Harry, and had another child to deal with as well.

"Or rather, I should say, 'in a sad, yet desirous, but politically inconvenient circumstance.' Harry bonded with me the very night Dumbledore left him on his aunt and uncle's porch, and I in turn bonded with him later that morning. Neville bonded with Harry the moment I placed him in the car with us to leave the remains of his home, and bonded with me that night, as I bonded to him. They are now my sons, in all manner of ways except by direct biology.

"I had an adoption bill drafted and passed by the Hyrulian Parliament. Prince Harry and Prince Neville are now my sons, and my political heirs. They will _not_ be removed from Hyrule against my will or theirs. However, Harry and Neville _both_ will be directly involved in the final defeat of Voldemort, something even _I_ can't do, and herein lies the problem, and why this situation is best filled by you, and you alone.

"Though I disagreed with Dumbledore on his choice of adoptive parents, I did _not_ disagree with his motives. If Harry were to grow up with all the fluff and crap adoration of wizarding England thrown at him, it would likely turn his head, something no one can afford. However, he will be trained in all the forms of magic he can perform, his magic will be as natural as breathing, and Neville's too. And make no mistake, either boy is more powerful than many adult English wizards! I will not have that power squandered; especially when the want of that power could prove deadly to them down the road. They will be educated as well as loved. However, they will not know their birth identities until they are ready to attend Hogwarts, and I will explain that as well.

"If they learn their birth identies before the proper time, Albus Dumbledore will have an easier time trying to kidnap Harry and place him in some other inapropriate circumstance, such as with the Dursleys again. They will also have to deal more directly with all the empty praise and incorrect exagerations of Harry's abilities. As I said, and as I'm sure you will agree, the truth is bad enough. The commonly held falsehoods are potentially poisonous!

"Moreover, I can't surrender Neville to his Grandmother as would otherwise be the right and honourable thing to do. If Neville Longbottom were to 'return to the living,' if you will, it would only be a matter of time before Dumbledore would start asking where Neville had been all these years. Were to find the answer to that question, Harry would once again be in danger.

"Prince Harry and Prince Neville will, of course, have to attend Hogwarts, despite the fact that the syllabus of that institution will be beneath them by the time they're old enough to enter. Under the best of circumstances, we will only be able to frustrate Voldemort for so long. By the time Prince Harry and Prince Neville are seventeen or so, Voldemort will surely have found a way back to a physical body. In order to have the best chance of beating Voldemort, and having the support of the English public that will entail, they will have to be reintroduced into English society. I believe that the best way to do that will be by having them attend Hogwarts, as their birth parents did.

"Your job will be difficult, but quite simple. You will be their primary tutor, especially in things related to English magic. You will help teach the _truth_ about Harry Potter, which is in itself going to be rather difficult to teach. Yet, neither Prince Harry _nor_ Prince Neville are to know who they were born! They already know they were adopted, and that their birth parents were killed by Voldemort. They will soon learn that once they turn eleven, they will be required to help Harry Potter to prepare, to fight, and to defeat Voldemort for all time. They just won't learn _why_ until their Hogwarts letters come, in the summer of 1991.

"You will help teach them all they will need to learn in all manner of things, and assist the efforts of others in the subjects you don't know yourself. Harry and Neville are fated to battle Voldemort, and are also Margraves of the Realm of Hyrule. Harry is the Margrave of Ivanhoe, and Neville is the Margrave of Ellsinore. Both will be ready to assume all their duties, and I charge _you_ with that responsibility. They are both incredibly bright children, and absorb learning almost like sponges, though Harry is more temperamental, and sometimes has to be persuaded to learn; this is just wilfulness, not lack of talent, and with the right teacher, he will learn quickly.

"Now, as to blood shields and blood wards. Albus Dumbledore knows a lot about them, yet not nearly enough. The blood wards from the magic Lily used to save Harry's life are far more portable, yet far more sensitive to emotion than he realized. So much so, in fact, that the shields lasted for several months after I removed Harry, yet have also followed here to Hyrule Castle, where they are indeed damn-near impregnable. The wards would have travelled to the Longbottoms as well, with a short ceremony similar to the muggle ceremony of 'blood-brothers.' However, with the dislike Petunia and Vernon Dursley felt towards Harry, the wards would have provided negligible protection at best. More realistically, the wards would have fallen quietly within a few years time, never to be raised again, as those monstrous things destroyed Harry's self-worth and joy of living. As Hyrule is threatened by Voldemort, I could not tolerate that. As the kinsman of Lily Potter, I could not tolerate that. As Harry's father, I will never allow a chance of that to come to pass again!

"And as for why you." Lupin nodded, though he sensed the answer. Link continued, "You are the last of the friends of James and Lilly Potter; oddly enough, Harry still dreams about you, and remembers you by your old school nickname. I would take similar liberties with Neville were it possible. But, his only living sane relatives are hisGrandmother andGreat Uncle. And as I've already mentioned, havingPrince Nevillediscovered to have been Neville Longbottom would place Harry in mortal peril. Most undesirable, wouldn't you say?"

Remus thought of the man, and answered, "Right. Most definately so."

"But back to you, Remus Lupin. Do you accept the situation? Do you work for me?" the Duke asked.

Lupin answered at once. "I work for Harry Potter. Not Albus Dumbledore, nor for you, though you may be the one paying me. You sought candour, you have it."

The Duke of Hyrule sat quietly for a few moments. Finally, he answered, "That is enough to be getting on with, Remus. Follow me, and I will introduce you to the princes."

As the two men left the room, Remus couldn't help but second-guess himself at answering so truthfully. What if he decided that Harry was better off somewhere else? Hadn't he just given the Duke of Hyrule notice that he could be second-guessed by a common-born werewolf? And, how would he handle Harry _now._ Harry had loved him almost as much as he loved his Mum and Dad. But Harry loved _everyone_ except for Peter Pettigrew that way! Everyone, including Sirius Black, the man who betrayed the Potters to Voldemort! And, that was over two years ago, an eternity for young children. What was Remus to do?

The two men entered the Princes' nursery, and all doubt was removed from Remus' mind. Harry saw Remus right away and exclaimed, "_Moony?"_ That was followed up by a burst of strange language until the Duke of Hyrule said sharply, "Harry! _English!_ Moony doesn't speak Kiríál yet, you are the one who's supposed to teach him!"

Harry looked at his adoptive father and answered, "Yes, sir." Harry looked back at Remus, green eyes sparkling and shining andsaid, "Where have you _been, _Moony! I thought you died like Padfoot and my birth-parents, when Wormtail betrayed them! _Please_ don't leave me again! I promise to be good…"

Remus Lupin's heart melted in that instant, as he charged and embraced his cub. His mind spun and whirled in confusion though. How did Harry remember him, _and_ Sirius Black? How had the child decided that Peter Pettigrew had betrayed his birth-parents and him, and not Sirius? Could Sirius at least be innocent of the Potters's demise, if not that of Pettigrew and the innocent muggles whose only crime had been being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

A second timid voice asked, "Mr. Lupin? Will you be my tutor as well, or just Harry's?"

Remus and Harry answered as one, "Both, of course!" Remus caught the other child in his arms, and hugged them both. Remus too found himself with more children than he had bargained for, and like his employer, couldn't be happier for it.

* * *

Later that evening, Harry joined his father in his dreams. "Papa," the boy asked, "Why did you bring Mooney here? I'm glad you did, but why?"

The Hyrulian answered, "So I wouldn't have to endure you keening again at school. But you still won't tell me why?"

_Keening_ is a type of crying unique to Kokiri children when they are profoundly terrified,ocassionally when they leave home for the first time to attend school, but more usually if they are being attacked, kidnapped, etc. The sound of keening is such a piercing cry that any non-Kokiri within several miles who have even the slightest ill will for the child or who the child perceives as being a threat are immobilized in great pain. Fortunately Harry and Neville were at the Kokiri School in Mido's Clearing, otherwise many people could have been hurt.

Harry answered, "Papa, I told you I can't honourably say why I did, only that I had misperceived something."

Link said, "I have read far enough into your memories to sense that. I give you my word that I will never read any further. But I ask you that someday you do tell me why. It will make your heart lighter to share with me this burden."

"Perhaps it may, someday. But until that day comes, Papa, I beg you not to force your way in."

"I'll never do that, son. I could also tell that for me to take that secret would harm you even more than your giving that secret willingly would help you. You are my eldest living son. My love for you and my responsibility as your father have me do things that you don't like because you are still a child. Yet I will never truly harm you, and to go further than I already have would do just that."

Neville announced his entry into his father's mind by asking, "Do I have to keen at school like an idiot to get someone from my old life, too?"

Link said, "Certainly not, Neville! That was a mean thing to say! Besides, Mooney is a great tutor and I can trust him! It's not my fault that Harry knew him before and you didn't, and it's not Harry's either! I thought you loved your brother?"

Neville started sobbing and looked at his feet. He mumbled, "Sorry, but I'm jealous, and it _hurts..._"

Harry hugged his brother, and sadly asked, "Would it make you feel better if Mooney left? I'd miss him terribly, but if it would make you happy..."

"No!" Neville shouted. "I don't want you sad! But it _hurts_ that you can remember you Mami and Dadi's friends when I can't! Don't let Mooney go, Papa. _Please..."_

"Don't worry, Mooney isn't going anywhere any time soon" Link answered.

The two children calmed down and started to play noisily in Link's mind as the night wore on.


End file.
